Somersault for Sara
by Rivergirls Anthem
Summary: After the Fall Finale, Michael tries reaching out to Sara again, with Paul's help. Will they find eachother again? Please let me know what you think. :: NEW chapter 39, Ferret , is up! :: XO
1. I hear you drowning

**A/N : Y'all, I saw the fall finale yesterday, and I have to say, I thought it wasn't nearly as oh-my-god-I'm-clutching-my-heart-I'm-so-scared as the first season's final. And no MiSa reunion 'I love you so much, never leave me again'. Like Grrr. **

**Nevertheless, I HAD to start writing this…the way I imagine it to go. Of course it's mostly MiSa, and I'll try my hand at writing a real actionplot. I KNOW my other story isn't finished – haven't forgotten about it, you know! Anyway, here goes..**

**Please let me know if I should continue this!**

**XO**

* * *

Michael 

_I guess it's in a time like this _

_The winds would blow the other way _

_Sailing through a sea of doubt_

_I have the time to contemplate _

_A world so harsh to face and lies so commonplace _

Michael and Lincoln ran behind the now unknown man – with one burning question resounding in their heads. _Can he be trusted?_ For now, they had to believe that the answer to that question was positive. It was the only chance they had.

Michael took only one look back at the fading body of Alexander Mahone, the man who'd been on his trail ever since they first escaped. He felt sorry. Alex had had a family. A nice wife, who'd treated Michael with respect, who'd opened up to him, not knowing who he was. Alex was a genius, too. The codes Michael had made up...all the paths and figures drawn across his body, this man had cracked them all. Respect, is what he felt, most of all.

But there was no time to pay him proper respect now, because they _had_ to keep moving, following this man whose life had been wrecked by the president, as much as their lives had been torn apart. An inside man...Which meant he had been fighting them too, for a while. Michael frowned in his frantic run. _What had he done to them?_

The man turned around. "I have a place to hide, not far from here. I rented it last night. My face hasn't been plastered around the country, so I can help you in many ways." His eyes shifted to Michael. "But you're going to have to trust me."

Lincoln looked at his brother. Whatever Michael agreed on, he would do it. He'd always trusted his brother's senses and right now, he needed them more than ever. He needed – God, he needed whatever was necessary to see his son again. LJ was probably scared out of his wits right now. He'd seen the report on the capture of his father and uncle, and was counting down the hours until they would be... Lincoln shook his head. _No._ He'll survive, for LJ.

Michael stared back at their unknown helper. "I can't promise you trust.. not until I know everything there is to know. But we'll go with you." His eyes shifted to his older brother, and he saw him nod slightly.

"Yes," his brother agreed, "we'll go with you."

The man nodded slightly. "Okay. It's this way."

Sara

It was over. Michael, the only person she could trust, the only man she had ever allowed herself to really...care for, was on his way to Fox River, preparing himself to spend his life behind bars. A heavy ache shot through her chest. _He must be so scared._ And the thought of him...her...but not _them_...not ever anymore, was more than she could bear.

A few blocks away from the trashcan she'd thrown her personal belonging into, Sara Tancredi sank down to her knees and cried in the middle of the street.

She didn't blame him anymore, she couldn't. Because, contrary to what she had believed, after her run-in with _not Lance, not an addict_ she knew that they would have come after her anyway, wether or not she had anything to do with Michael. It was because of her father that she was in this mess. But she didn't blame him either. _You can't speak ill of the dead_.

And it wasn't his fault...she let out a bitter laugh. It _was. _It was his fault. The father who'd never taken the time to know her, had left her a final present that could get her killed. No dying flowers on her birthday, no...he'd given her a death hovering over her. There wasn't anyone who could protect her now.

"_There's a way I can protect you."_

She heard Michael whisper to her in her mind. His broken voice, calling out to her in pure desperation. He'd needed her just as much as she'd needed him. As much as she still needs him.

People say you shouldn't think of the 'what if's, but there were many running through her head. What if she hadn't walked to her car in Gila, only to realize she needed him too much and then to step out again, and be faced with the gun? What if Michael hadn't been captured now, would he have come back for her again, would he have kept on fighting for her? And...what if she hadn't met him at all, what if Lincoln had been in another penitentary and she wouldn't have had to administer his shots? As much as it killed her to be apart from him now, she would have been forever aching for him if they'd never met.

A soft hand clutched her shoulder. "My child, are you alright?"

Looking up into the face of a woman in her late fifties, Sara smiled a little. "No."

The woman nodded in understanding, and squeezed Sara's shoulder reassuringly. "Do you have anywhere to go?" A rough sob escaped the crying doctor's throat and the woman knew everything she needed to. Putting her two hands underneath Sara's arms, she lifted her up from the pavement she'd been lying on. "How about we get you a cup of coffee, and we'll see from there?"

Sara was so broken, so utterly alone, that she couldn't say no. Besides, she hadn't had a decent drink, or a filling breakfast, for four days. The doctor inside of her made small alarm bells go off. She'd lost a lot of weight – and that wasn't good. She nodded at the woman, whose face was kind and whose eyes held unshed tears for her. _Not one of the bad guys._ Although, you could never be to careful. Sara mentally shook herself. _If they want to kill me – they go ahead and do it. _

The boys

The appartement was large enough to hold the three people, and had enough emergency exits in case they needed to make a run for it.

The man who'd brought them here smirked at Michael. "Memorizing the escaping-possibilities, I assume?"

Michael shrugged. "You can never be too careful."

He got a small, uncomfortable nod in return. "I'm new to the running and hiding-part," he shook his head lightly, as if to ask himself why he was doing this. "Paul Kellerman." He held out his hand and Michael shook it. A small chuckle escaped Kellerman's lips. "Or er- Owen Kravecki. But I haven't been called that in ages. Just stick to Paul."

Lincoln came back from the bathroom and peered at Kellerman with an intrigued look on his face. "So who are you."

His brother shrugged. "Paul Kellerman."

"Former Secret Service Agent Paul Kellerman, also known as Carolyn Reynolds's right hand man. I know everything you need to."

"So why did you team up with us, then?" Lincoln asked, apalled.

"They killed me off." Paul explained. "I didn't get done what they needed me to, and now there aren't any traces of my being alive – ever. I'll bet Alex Mahone got the orders to kill me, so I needed to lay him down. Survival of the fittest kind of thing." He took a breath. "And I figured, they try to erase me... I bring them down." He laughed bitterly. "I really wish it had something to do with _doing the right thing_ or something like that, but I have to say – It doesn't. I'm not like that." Paul thought for a moment. "Well, maybe a tiny little bit. But that's not what matters, what matters is that I'm here now."

Michael nodded. Honesty. Which was good. He didn't trust 'Paul Kellerman' yet, but the fact that he wasn't beating around the bush pleased Michael. They could do business.

Paul's phone started ringing, and he grinned at the brothers. "Let me take care of this... Kellerman." He bit into the phone and pushed the button for the speaker. Kim's voice sounded loud through the room, and the occupants could all hear what was being said. A plan to gain their trust, Paul figured.

"_Well, well, Paul, what did I hear? You failed." _A short pause could be heard, and Paul could almost see Kim tilting his head menacingly. _"Again."_

Paul laughed. "What do you mean, I _failed_?" He saw the brothers tense, but held up his hand so that they would hear him out. "I got Mahone out of your system, that was what you wanted, right?"

_"It was PART of what I wanted. You still have a long...loooong to do- list, Paul. And you know you better scratch out every little item or..."_

"Or I disappear forever." Paul finished the sentence, once again showing Scofield and Burrows that he could be trusted.He's been telling them the truth.

Kim let out a bitter bark of a laugh. _"That was very poetically put, Paul. I thought of other, less pretty synonyms, but yes...I suppose it all comes down to your 'permant non-existence.'"_

Michael saw Paul clutching the phone so tightly he thought his fingers were going to snap the thing in two, but when the man answered, his voice was as controlled as always. "I'll get it done."

Kim ended the call and a sharp dialtone could be heard ringing through the silence. Paul looked at Lincoln and Michael, his head tilted to the side. "_Now_ do you believe me?"

Michael gave him a quick nod and turned to walk out of the room, leaving his two companions to stare at his retreating back. He found his solace in the place he'd claimed as 'his room' for the time being and he sat down on the bed, before letting himself fall onto the old, worn blankets.

The dialtone had made him think of her again. She was always on his mind, that was for sure, but the hollow sound brought her right back, standing next to him. He heard her soft voice call out to him in fear and remembered the heat of the burning car he'd just exited. _"Hello? Michael...Michael?!"_

He pressed the palms of his hands to his closed eyes, pushing back the tears that were forming. _"Sara could be dead, Michael."_ Lincoln's voice rang out through his mind. He shook his head frantically and took a deep breath. She wasn't dead. She couldn't be.

His arm remembered her sweet touches, his fingers still felt the tips of hers. He looked at his hand in wonder. His last connection to Sara, other than the note she'd left him in Gila.

Michael's eyes shot open wide in the darkness of the room. _Was it really the last connection?_

His cellphone. She'd – she'd called him when he was in held by the boarder patrol, his forhead leaning against the cold white bars. His heart had ached to hear her voice, and the fact that their connection was so close, yet out of reach, had made him angry. Had she been checking up on him, or was it something more?

He jumped up and walked hurriedly to the livingroom, where Paul and Lincoln were eating bowls of cerreal and talking. Lincoln held out his bowl for Michael to take a bite, but he shook his head. "Paul..." the man turned to him. " That fancy phone of yours, can it tap into a voicemail inbox of a phone that's a few miles away?"

The man nodded and grinned at Michael. "There's nothing a secret service phone can't do."

"Good." A short pause followed. "I need you to tap into mine."

Sara

Christine, as she had told Sara her name was, sat next to her and pushed a hot cup of coffee into her cold, clam hands. Sara sniffed lovingly at the warm liquid and for a small second, she smiled.

Christine looked at her worriedly. God knows what this woman had had to go through in the last few days...weeks? At that moment, she made a decision not to let this one out of her sight until she was strong and healthy again. "Sara, dear?" She said, and the moment looked at her nervously. "You're staying with me for the next few weeks, is that alright?"

As soon as she opened her mouth to protest, Christine interrupted her. "Good, well that's setteled then. After you finished smelling – and hopefully _drinking_ that cup of coffee, we leave for my house. It's just around the corner, so we can come back here everyday and you can sniff all you want." Her brown hair moved around her head as she laughed and Sara felt a rush of hapiness course through her body. She had someone again. She wasn't alone anymore.

But could she do this to her new friend? Sure, she'd left all evidence to her being here, and they'd never look for her here, since she was already 50 miles further than she had been with _not Lance_ (thank you, Greyhound), but could she take the risk?

_What would Michael do?_

She smiled around her coffeecup. _What wouldn't Michael do?_

"Okay." Sara nodded. "Thank you so much."

The boys

Paul took the phone out of his pocket and unclasped it. "So, what was your number?" He turned to look at Michael, who was pacing the floor behind him, making the floor squeak every time he ran over a particular part of it. He walked over it every three seconds. That's a lot of pacing. "Michael?"

"505 – 555 – 0163." His voice sounded worn and emotional, but Paul ignored it. They didn't know eachother well enough for 'are you okay's and 'do you want to talk about it?'.

He punched in a few numbers and listened intently as the operator threw instructions his way. Finally, he grinned and thrusted the phone into Michael's hands. "You're in."

Michael eagerly grabbed the phone and put it to his ear, praying to hear her voice. _"You have one new message." _Thank God, he thought. Sara. _"Message received on November 28, at 3 46 pm from 505 – 555 – 0162. To play message, press one."_

His finger shook nervously as he pushed the button. If she wasn't alright, he didn't know what he'd do. Closing his eyes, he let her nervous, scared voice take him over.

"_Michael it's me, listen this phone rang last night and I went to answer it but I couldn't hear anything and I wonder if maybe it was you.Uhm...oh God, I don't know what I should do right now, I need to know you're okay. I need you to know that I'm not. I didn't leave you in Gila, something happened to me and I don't...uhm...I don't know what to do right now, I'm not too sure where to go, but I know you're the only person I can trust, and I need you to uhm...ah...I need you to be okay"_She let out a soft, nervous laugh, similar to the one she'd sighed in the infirmary, after their kiss, and continued. "_and...uhm...and I need you. Please."_

Michael squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Hearing her like this...so lost and broken – it tore him apart. His plan was to make her happy and now she was as scared as a woman could be. But she was tough, Sara. She didn't cry.

He ran his hand over his head and sniffled. He needed her too – more than he should. Even though it wasn't fair to her that he needed her. She deserved better than that.

The operator's voice was asking him the same row of questions she'd asked him four times before, but he kept holding on to the cellphone as if it was his lifeline.

He felt guilty, because his heart had done a somersault when she told him she hadn't left him in Gila. So she wanted him as much as he wanted her? The somersault had turned to nausea though, when she continued to tell him her tale.

_" and I need you. Please."_

* * *

_So, What did you think? Please tell me if you want me to continue this...Please, please, please?_

_XO_


	2. Operator?

**A/N: Wow, you guys - thank you so much for the wonderful reviews you've left me (and lilybzzzz for her added PM...thanks girl). I am really happy you like this story...I don't know what I would've done had you rejected it. But you didn't! No, wonderful you left me reviews. I hope you keep on doing that, I love reviews...and I love YOU for reviewing...Please? I could really use some review-loving after days like these...**

**XO**

* * *

The girls

Sara slept for a day. A whole day – 24 hours straight without waking up once. Well, not _exactly_ 24 hours, but more like 26 and a half. _What did it matter anyway?_

Christine had gone inside to check on her a couple of times, and had left her cellphone ringing a few times. She couldn't pick up – could she? _Should she?_ No, she had decided. She'd only known the girl for a short ammount of time and didn't know her story yet. When she wanted to tell her – she would. But until then... Christine would keep to her own business. Besides, if it was important, the caller would leave her a message. She smiled. There was no doubt that Sara was loved by someone...there was this aura surrounding her. It was not only vulnerable, but it was also loving..._loved._ But then why was she so sad?

_Flashback_

"Well, Sara, this'll be your home for the next few weeks...how do you like it?" Sara turned around and took in the comfort of the house. Despite the fact that Christine had told her she lived alone, the house was not only enormous, it was also incredibly 'home-y' and she felt as if she fit in. Christine quickly showed her around the groundfloor and Sara smiled at the three – yes, three! – christmastrees put up, even though Christmas was still about a month away.

Maybe, Sara thought, maybe if this whole mess is over by then, I'll visit Michael at Christmas. _If he is still alive._ She shook her head roughly, her newly cut hair swaying angrily around her face. "What's the matter?" Her new friend asked her, a concerned expression on her face.

Sara let out a soft sigh. "Impossible thoughts."

The older woman lay a hand on her shoulder. "Nothing is impossible, Sara – just have a little faith."

And that answer was so beautiful, and so reminiscent of the man she craved more than anything, that she nodded the tears out of her eyes. The next minute, two arms were put around her and she found herself sobbing into the shoulder of her 'guardian angel', as she'd started to call the kind woman who'd promised to take care of her.

Sara let out an embarrassed laugh. "I usually don't cry this much."

Christine softly patted her head. "That's okay, sweetie, sometimes we just need to get it out. Now, you look hungry. What would you say to pancakes?"

"I'd say..." she smiled a little. "I'd say _Hi, Pancakes!_"

She received a playful swat on the arm and a gentle grin. Cracking jokes was a good sign.

Sara was pulled towards the kitchen and told to sit down and watch the master work. The woman conjured a pancake out of thin air (or maybe it was just Sara's tired eyes playing a trick on her) and damn it if this wasn't the best pancake Sara had ever had.

"Now sleep." Christine gently prodded her. "Sleep, and forget all things but one, heard in each wave of sea. How lonely all his days will run, until he rests by thee." (J.B. Leicester Warren)

The boys

"DAMN IT!"

Lincoln clucked his tongue. "Michael – calm down."

His brother sank down on the couch next to him and rested his head in his hands, Paul's cellphone discarded beside him. His voice was muffled, but Lincoln could hear his despair quite clearly. "Why isn't she picking up, Linc?"

A warm hand found its way to his shoulder. "She probably doesn't pick up because she doesn't recognize this number. If I know you, then in the short ammount of time you spent with her after the escape, you told her several times to be careful and not to talk to or take phonecalls from any strangers, am I right?"

Michael shook his head. "She was gone before I could warn her. I should have taken better care of her then. Had I watched her, then she wouldn't have been hurt. If I had done what I needed to, then she wouldn't be so scared and alone."

_I need you to be okay too, Sara. I can't go on without you knowing that I..._ he sighed and took the cellphone again, retreating to his bedroom and staring at Sara's number, now branded both into the phone and onto his eyes. For hours, the figures would dance in front of his eyes and then haunt him when Paul woke up again to relieve him of the guard-duty and Michael would go to bed. His dreams would be filled with her presence, as they always were.

She probably thought he was captured right now, and seeing as she told him he was the only one she could trust, she'd feel abandoned. All alone in the world, and once again, whose fault was that?

_She deserved better than him_. He knew it. But he couldn't help but hope that she didn't figure that out just yet. He could be better than this – he would be better than this.

But oh – he needed her _now._

_--_

Lincoln didn't trust their new helper yet. He didn't! The imagine of "Paul" treatening him in that car park, a gun in his hand, cocked and ready to fire...It was not something easily forgotten. The moment he'd seen Kellerman, he'd been ready to grab Mahone's gun and just – shoot him. But he was their only chance and, as much as neither Michael nor Lincoln wanted to admit it...they needed him.

But as soon as they didn't anymore...The escaped con whistled through his teeth. Well, "Paul" would pay.

Lincoln peered at the small tvscreen. It wasn't much...but it was something. Something to help pass the time, or to check if they were on to them yet. So far, so good. Nothing had been shown, even their renewed – escape had been a mute matter. No one spoke of it.

_Or did they?_ His eyes hurriedly scanned the multiple possible channels that could report of it.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Noth – Ah!

On channel 23 a man in a suit stood in front of the tunnel they had escaped from, with a too bright spotlight shining on his face and a big microphone clutched into his hands. He looked somewhat...pleased with the situation. Lincoln smiled. Pleased.

_"... criminals, death row Lincoln Burrows and his brother Michael Scofield, have once again managed to break free of the law. God knows how they did it once again, but they did. Let me tell you, Astrid, these boys are either brilliant or indestructable._

_The men have been haunted for months now, and were captured yesterday at the boarder. They were held and were being transported back to Fox River, Illionois, their 'haven' so to speak, the prison facility they broke out of, when they once again made a fool of the authorities. Now this is a story to follow up on. The situation is said to be under control, but the question is : for how long?" _

The image returned to the studio, where a blond woman he supposed was Astrid, took over. _"Yes, Peter, thank you.The story that shook the country, ladies and gentlemen.To be continued."_

Lincoln looked around him, ready to smile at his brother, but he found no one there. He wanted to jump up into the sky, scream out his joy at the news, but he didn't. He didn't run to his brother, because he knew Michael needed some alone time.

The older brother understood, he guessed. But he had never seen Michael so shaken in his life before, especially not because of a woman. Sara was something different to Michael, even a fool could see that. She was something – the first ever – Michael could not breathe without.

_Pick up, Sara. He needs you._

The girls

Softly, her feet padded down the stairs to where she heard the tv playing. She fell down onto the couch, and without saying a word, was handed a cup that was immediately filled with hot chocolate. She smiled at Christine.

"How is it that you seem to know exactly what I need?"

Her eyebrow raised. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Sara explained logically, counting down on her fingers. "firstly, you give me coffee. Then you feed me pancakes. You tell me to sleep one minute before I find myself drooping off. And now – I woke up with an incredible craving for chocolate and the first thing you give me, even before a greeting, is a cup of hot chocolate." Her eyes widened. "That's just..._weird._"

Her friend laughed and whispered. "Maybe it's magic."

Sara grinned. "I'm a little to old to believe in fairytales, Chris'!"

Christine lowered her voice to a menacing rumble to imitate Captain Barbossa. "You better start believing in fairytales, Miss Sara...You're in one!"

For the first time, in a long time, Sara felt carefree again, laughing with a friend's idiocy. It reminded her of her days in highschool, when she could just mess around, and not have to worry about conspiracies on state-level and falling in love with masterminds who broke into prison to set their brother free.

And then the Tv caught her attention.

_"... criminals, death row Lincoln Burrows and his brother Michael Scofield, have once again managed to break free of the law. God knows how they did it once again, but they did. Let me tell you, Astrid, these boys are either brilliant or indestructable._

_The men have been haunted for months now, and were captured yesterday at the boarder. They were held and were being transported back to Fox River, Illionois, their 'haven' so to speak, the prison facility they broke out of, when they once again made a fool of the authorities. Now this is a story to follow up on. The situation is said to be under control, but the question is : for how long?" _

Michael's picture drifted across the screen and Sara yelped, throwing her hand in front of her mouth in surprise and her eyes shining with tears. Crawling over to the tv, she touched the outlines of his jaw with the tip of her indexfinger, unaware of the woman watching her. It was Michael – it was really him...he'd done it again. He was out again. And just like that, hope started to spring in Sara and an incredible warmth flooded her again.

When the anchorwoman (Astrid, she believed her name was) moved on to the next newsflash, Sara slowly turned around and looked at Christine with a guilty expression. The woman only smiled. "It's him, isn't it? He's the man you always think about." It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement.

A small smile broke out on Sara's own face as she began to blush. "Listen –" Christine continued. "Someone's been calling while you were asleep, it might be him...you should check your voicemail or something, shouldn't you?"

She had leapt off in search of her cellphone before you could say 'Fox River' and the older woman chuckled softly. If this Michael Scofield had captured her heart like this, then he must not be what everyone makes him out to be. Deep inside, she'd always felt that there was something different about this case, and had felt an odd connection to it. Now she knew why.

Sara sat on her bed and hurriedly pressed the numbers she needed to get into her voicemail. She'd had 7 missed calls, all from a number she didn't recognize. But, she reasoned, Michael had been captured, so the chance of him having his cellphone with him when he escaped were minimal. She took a deep breath and put the phone to her ear.

"_You have 1 new message" _the operator told her, and Sara waited anxiously. Get on with it, woman! _"Message received on November 29, at 8 49 am from 507 – 555 – 51028. To play message, press one."_

Please, Michael. Please.

"_Sara." _The minute she heard his voice, her first tears escaped. "Michael" she whispered to the silence. _"Sara it's me. I –"_ she heard him take a deep breath and heard the sound of his hand running over his face. _"I er – I am okay for the time being. I am sure you must have heard the news of my capture, but we got out again. We now have an inside man...he."_ His breathing became ragged and his voice sounded torn all of a sudden.

"_Sara, please be alright."_

She'd heard this tone before, when he'd called her to tell her it was real, this thing they had. It was so gentle and loving that the tears on her face intensified.

_"Listen, I want you to know that if it is you, and if you are listening to this phonecall, that I miss you and that I will keep on trying to call you until I hear from you.I'll do anything, Sara. Anything."_

"Anything." She whispered back and she nodded her head softly, the tears still falling. She knew they'd make it, now.

"Anything."

* * *

_Well, she heard his message. But I don't think it will be this easy in the next chapters...or should it be? What do you think : an easy, fast MiSa reunion with action in the story or lots of twists and turns before they meet? _

_XO_


	3. Talk to me

**A/N : You guys, thank you so much for all this support you're giving me! I know the story might not always be accurate (I know, May -- November, but I like to set my stories in the now, gets me closer to it. Besides, it was snowing in the show, wasn't it? LOL)**

**Please, as always, let me know what you think!**

**XO**

* * *

Life is a romantic business. It is painting a picture, not doing a sum – but you have to make the romance, and it will come to the question how much fire you have in your belly.

(Oliver Wendell Holmes, March 8, 1911)

* * *

The girls

Sara looked up at the gentle knock on her door and uttered a soft 'yes?'. Christine entered the room with a small, yet concerned, smile on her face. She sat down on the bed, next to the pretty woman clutching her cellphone tightly to her chest, and folded her hands in her lap, waiting patiently for her friend to speak.

"I love him." Sara blurted out suddenly. The older woman gave a small nod. _I know._

Sara bit her lip. "Uhm... I guess I should start at the beginning? Hmm?" She nodded her head slightly. "Right, er – my name is Sara Tancredi, and I'm..." Flashes appeared in front of her eyes. _My name is Sara, and I am an addict._ "I mean, I _was_ the doctor at Fox River, the prison Michael and his brother escaped from. You see –" She turned her folded legs sideways, and now faced Christine, with her trusting eyes and non-critisizing kindness. "Lincoln Burrows, Michael's brother – he's innocent. It's a deep, serious matter. I mean..." she widely gestured with her hands, "it's out of proportion. It seems like _everyone _is involved. Apparently, so was my father, governor Frank Tancredi..?"

A flicker of recognition flashed across the woman's face at the mention of her father's name. Sara smirked. _Frontier Justice Frank_ is – _was _a well-known man. "But he comes along in a few minutes. I just worked at the prison as a doctor and Michael came around everyday to get his insulineshot – that he actually didn't need, he just needed access to the room – and despite the barrier I'd built around myself, I –" her hands stopped mid-air and a small smile appeared around her mouth as she recalled all the sweet and silly bantering that had happened between them. " I couldn't fight his witty charm, his sweetness...It was _unconventional_, but then again, what wasn't? I didn't have many friends and he was...he was Michael." She shook her head, her messy hair bouncing with the movement. She hurriedly tucked a fallen strand behind her ear.

"I'd studied his brother's case and I had come to the conclusion that Lincoln was indeed innocent...but how could I stop the execution from happening? I tried going to my father with it, but it appears he never even read it." She let out a soft sigh. "My father and I, we've never agreed on things. When I was in my teens, I rebelled against him to get his attention the few times he was around, but after that, it was really about my own beliefs. I _couldn't do anything _to save Lincoln and to help Michael. But then I could. Michael told me he was breaking his brother out of prison, which.." She let out a laugh, "you know – _shocked me_."

Christine huffed her agreement with a small smile and a nod.

"But he _needed _me to 'make a mistake' as he put it. They'd patched up the weakness that was his way out, and he needed me to grant him another way. I did – feeling slightly mad though, feeling as if he used me. But he didn't. He prooved it when he kept on contacting me after the escape with little origami cranes wearing complicated codes, telling me to meet him in Gila, New Mexico. I did, but then I got scared and left. Before I even started my engine, I was faced with a gun. One of 'them' had caught up with me. He..." By now, tears were streaming down her face and a choked sob escaped.

_Breathe, Sara._ "he tortured me, and I...God, I almost died. The man was convinced my father had given me something important that could expose them. I denied it, so he..." she inhaled sharply.

"I escaped and ran. Took the Greyhound and ended up falling down on my knees, crying in the street, because Michael had been captured and then..." she smiled. "Then you came along, and bought me coffee."

Her savior pulled her into a mother-like embrace, one of the kind Sara hadn't had since age nine, and whispered soothing words next to her ear. _You're not alone._

The boys

Michael woke up at the sound of the cellphone ringing. He jumped up and stared at the screen with all the hope his body held. He sighed. _Kim._

"PAUL?"

Paul entered the room, drytoweling his hair after his shower. Michael threw the phone at him and it fell to the floor. He rolled his eyes at the 'Super Secret Agent' 's catching abilities. Paul glared at him and snapped his phone open, putting it on speaker.

"_Found them?"_

He rolled his eyes. "I'm working on it, Bill."

"_Where are you?"_

"Er –" Paul pretend to think really hard. "Few miles south of where they escaped. Followed them here. I'm handling it."

Kim barked a laugh. _"Well, you're doing a poor job at it. Where are you? I'm sending Londain your way."_

Now it was Paul's turn to laugh. "Remember what happened the last time someone tried to send me help? It was a long fall down that rabbithole, Bill. Are you sure you want to put another one through that? I...WORK...ALONE." He snapped the phone shut and turned to Michael.

"We need to move now. They'll start tracing pretty soon, and if I'm not moving...they'll come here and the whole thing'll blow. We don't want that." He said.

"Wait a minute," Michael frowned. "What do you mean, _trace_? I thought you guys couldn't be traced?"

Paul nodded. "Not by anyone but our own. So we need to move. Now."

"I need to call her first." He needed to talk to her. If there was any possibility he could hear her voice again, then he needed to...

Paul clucked his tongue. "What makes you think she'll pick up this time?"

Michael sent him a deathglare, but then his features softened. "I just know."

The girls

"Oh God..." Sara breathed, as she saw her cellphone vibrating on the duvet. Christine followed her eyes and gently nudged her, before disappearing behind the door.

Shivering despite the warm temperature in the room, Sara fell flat down on the bed to reach for her only hope.

"Hello?" _Please let it be him for real this time.Please don't tell me it's some bad guy who captured them again. Michael?_

"_Sara."_ A soft whisper into the phone. It was merely a breath in the shape of her name that escaped his lips, so many miles away. Where was he anyway? _"It's me."_

The same way he'd started the conversation when she was sitting on the bottom of those churchsteps, eating pie with the guy who turned out to be the biggest bastard to have ever entered her life. And working at Fox River, she'd met quite a few.

And then there he was, creating the most beautiful contrast. Michael – the only one who...the only one.

"Michael." She sobbed into the phone, a new tear, but one of joy this time, trickling down her cheek.

She imagined him walking away, while his voice whispered sweetness into her ear. _"It's going to be okay now, Sara. I'm here."_

"Okay." And just like that, the tears stopped. Because she believed him when he told her. She didn't have one single doubt that they'd find their way back. And he would be with her.

"_Are you safe?"_

She nodded before realising he couldn't see her. Michael Scofield may be a lot of things, but he couldn't see her all those miles away. She closed her eyes and saw his face before her. A smile slipped out. She pretended he was doing the exact same thing she was doing, his chrystal eyes hidden from the world, only visible to her.

"_Sara?"_

"I'm safe, Michael. I found shelter with someone, miles away from where I was last seen. I lost my er – the one who was after me. I just ran..." she frowned, but not without a small ammount of pride. "The guy's probably in the hospital right now, though. I er- sort of put a hot iron to his chest."

Michael nodded. _"That's my girl."_

She blushed. "Michael, are you - ? I was so scared when I found out they'd captured you.." she exhaled deeply, and immediately his soothing voice reassured her.

"_Hey...hey! I'll be okay, you hear me? I won't let them get me."_ She knew it meant something like ' I won't let them seperate us again, okay?', but that Michael wasn't pushing her to anything. That was part of why she felt the way she did.

" When will I see you again? Michael I want you to know that I was coming back, in Gila. I meant to leave, but then I couldn't. But then.." she rushed it all out at once, and he interrupted her softly.

"_It's okay Sara. I know. I'll see you as soon as I can, okay?"_ Muffled voices could be heard at Michael's end of the line and she knew they had to say their 'later's, for now.

_Later. Never goodbye._

"_Sara, I need to know where you are..."_

"I'm at 51208 Millsbrook Drive, Starlete. It's about 50 miles from where you are. I'm safe, Michael, so don't rush yourself, okay? Will you still be able to call me?"

"_I can't." _She heard the sadness in his voice and felt the same. "_I need to get rid of this phone, but I'm on my way, okay. I promise."_

"I believe you." Sara simply stated. "Be careful, Michael. I can't lose you again."

The guys

Michael walked into the livingroom with a huge smile on his face. _"Be careful, Michael. I can't lose you again."_It was playing in loops in his head, and he loved it.

He loved her. He'd always known, but at times like these, it hit him, full force. This was the woman he imagined himself growing old with, and that thought was the one that got him through the days.

Lincoln and Paul were changing clothes for some reason still unknown to Michael. "We need to disguise ourselves. There'll probably be a 'have you seen this man, wearing these clothes' running on tv." Paul said, while he swung around while buttoning his shirt.

Suddenly, something caught Michael's eyes, and another one of Sara's sentences rang like an alarmbell through his thoughts.

"_The guy's probably in the hospital right now, though. I er- sort of put a hot iron to his chest."_

* * *

_Well, Michael's finding out that Paul hurt his Sara...Hmm, I don't want to be Paul right now! I know some of you may find it odd that Sara's telling Christine her story, but she needs to. Remember, the girl has just lost her friends and family - and I promise you, Christine is just being a wonderful woman, no strings attached. (winks)_

_Please let me know what you think??_

_XO_


	4. Fist and chips

**A/N : I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough for all the encouraging..But to give you just a small fraction of gratitude, here's a little 'Michael kicking Kellerman's ass' for you.**

**Please let me know what you think?**

**XO**

* * *

The boys

Paul couldn't breathe. Michael's arm was pressed firmly against his throat, cutting off all possible airsupply. The man's finger pointed firmly at his chest and the burn that was glowing on it. The deep dark color of skin couldn't be identified as a simple sunburn and they both knew it.

Kellerman knew at that time that even though Michael Scofield was _the brain_, Michael Scofield could be _more muscle_ than his brother when he found out certain things, having to do with Sara. Paul grimaced. Sara _junkie _Tancredi.

"_Does it worry you, that he's out there?" _

"_That's good pie!"_

He'd spent time with the woman, enough time to know her strength, to know her weakness. Michael was both. He supposed, _felt_, that it was a mutual feeling. Michael was no killer, but he'd do it for her. Yes, he'd press his elbow just a little harder for her.

His voice was a low rumble, a sudden darkness and thunder after the happy smile that had been on his face when he exited the chamber just a few minutes ago.

"You _son of a bitch._"

Kellerman drew at his last straws. Sarcasm, and superiority. "Now, now, Michael – don't do that..." he chastited with the little breath he had. Like talking to a small child, that's the way he said it. _Don't put your hand in the oven, sweetie – you'll get burned._

"Why shouldn't I?" Michael drew his prey forward, only to slam him back into the wall and forcing his head to hit the cold harshness of the tiles. "Give me _one _good reason why I shouldn't."

Lincoln's eyes were as large as saucers. He didn't know this Michael – he didn't even _understand_ this Michael. Sure, Lincoln hated everything about the former agent, but he knew that they needed him. It was only _rational thinking _that had gotten him to the conclusion. His brother, the cool, the collected Michael 'I'm-getting-you-out-of-here' Scofield was anything _but _rational. "Michael..." he began.

"STAY out of this." Michael's head snapped around as he rose his voice at his brother, who stepped back and held his hands up in defeat.

"Could you at least tell me what he's _done_?"

Michael's eyes, shooting fire at Paul, burned with anger. "He took her from me." His head tilted to the side and a venomenous grin appeared on his lips. "Ain't that right, Paul? Isn't that where you got that nasty _sunburn?_ 'Cause I doubt you've been on a recent vacation and forgot to put lotion on your chest, that you covered everything but an iron-shaped patch." His voice was cold, demanding respect. _He_ was now superior.

Kellerman licked his dry lips, heaving a fake sigh of desperation. "Gee, Michael, you've got me all figured out. Yes, I did _get your girl._" An evil smirk appeared. "If I'd known she'd be as feisty as she was hot, I'd - "

Michael's fist hit him not completely out of the blue, but nevertheless, it took him by surprise and hurt like hell. But Paul didn't show it. _Remember, Paul, they need you._

"Michael..." Lincoln warned, his gruff voice cutting through the new-found silence.

"WHAT?"

His older brother crossed his arms in front of his chest. "We don't have time for this."

Michael snapped around. "We don't have _time _for this?" His anger was at a high point, crossing limits it had never crossed. "What if it had been Veronica?"

Lincoln face twitched with pain at the name of his lost love, but he needed to make Michael see that... "If it had been _Veronica,_" he answered. "then you would have told me the same thing, and I would have listened."

_Well,_ he thought as he saw his brother release a little of the pressure on their 'help', _at least it's something._

"Michael," he continued. "He's useful." _No way_ was he going to say the words 'we need him'. Kellerman had a big enough (and really purple) head as it was, he didn't need that kindn of admission.

His brother sighed and let go, stepping back and watching with satisfaction as Kellerman ran his hand over the now very sensitive spot on his throat. "I'm going to get her back within the next couple of days," he stated, "and if you so much as look at her, I will hurt you so badly, you'll be breathing through a tube for the rest of your life."

The 'victim' didn't look overthrown in the least, but wore a blank expression. Lincoln shook his head. _They needed to move._

"You should have heard her scream..."

This time, when Michaels hand, and then his foot, connected with Paul's body, Lincoln didn't do a damn thing to stop it.

The girls

Sara lay in the bathtub, her legs swung over either side of the cold material and closed her eyes at the pleasure of this. Sure, she'd been reluctant to take a bath, seeing as the last time she came in connecting with one, her head had been plunched into the water and she was being drowned, but Paul wasn't here now. Her hands weren't tied behind her back and it was Michael's sweet and reassuring voice and loving words that were repeating in her mind. It wasn't her attacker's icecold, businesslike voice that screamed words at her.

Michael had gently told her that it was okay – a bath would do her good. He'd be with her soon and she just needed to keep on taking one step at a time, and trusting him. _'I won't let you drown'_ he'd said to her. And she believed him.

He was right. The bath was wonderful, and so was the ability to clean up for the first time in weeks of running through the dirty dust.

A smile appeared on her face. Michael knew best.

--

Many minutes later, she walked into the decorated livingroom, wearing a soft bathrobe Christine had given her. It had belonged to her daughter once, and would fit her perfectly. It did. Sara felt warm.

Her thoughts never wavered. Every second of the day was a second spent thinking of him.

Eating the home-made cookies they'd made.

_Michael._

Watching the new series on tv, with a bag of chips next to her and her friend commenting on the characters every three seconds.

_Michael._

And at the end of quite the productive day (she'd baked cookies after all), he was the last thing she thought of, her hands folded underneath her head and staring up at the glow in the dark stars taped onto the ceiling of the room, right above her bed.

The stars seemed to be dancing, she thought. _Michael_, she thought.

* * *

_I know it wasn't as long as the previous ones, but I got busy a little too late. I didn't want to end this day with an update, though. What did you think?_

_XO_


	5. Think of you

**A/N : Well, I'm back again! Thank you thank you thank you for supporting me and inspiring me to write more...**

**I have bad news though. This story won't be updated quite as frequently as it has been, because, oh - yes, finals are starting the day after tomorrow. I won't forget about this story and will right whenever I can - I'd rather do this than study, believe me! I will be as quick as I can...**

**In the meantime, please me know what you think. Then maybe the process will get along faster...**

**XO**

* * *

The boys

Kellerman struggled to get up, wiping the blood off of his lip and blinking a few times to clear the tears of pain from his eyes. _You should have known better, agent Kellerman._ Yes, he should have, but somehow he felt in grade school, fighting another guy for the girl they both had feelings for. It was a matter of protecting his ego.

Lincoln had walked out of the room when he was being beaten up, and now Michael too left his side. Which he was silently grateful for. He finished changing (yes, the bloodstains on his shirt wouldn't make him suspicious at _all._ One button at a time, Paul – don't hurt yourself anymore than he already has.

_Whimp._

The elder brother came back into the room and stated the simple truth. "We need to leave."

Kellerman nodded. "Has he calmed down, yet?"

Lincoln huffed, proud of his brother. "You can't blame him, can you? Now, Paul..." he continued on a kinder note, "we do this, okay? After that – I don't ever want to see you again."

Paul smirked. "Well, the two of you ain't the prettiest sight either."

_What is it with this man and his sarcasm? _Lincoln wondered. He'd never seen a man give this much back. He couldn't help but be envious of it. There were often times when he didn't know what to say – especially when he was younger. Michael, of course, had no trouble what so ever with dishing out remarks. Lincoln was proud of that, of course, but mostly he hated the way Michael was so seemingly at ease with everything around him.

And then there came a huge chink in his armor, by the name of Sara Tancredi. Funny isn't it, how a person can change someone else?

Lincoln finally just shrugged. "Just – don't say anything about her anymore. And if – _when _we meet up with her, don't you dare to even look at her or say a word, or you'll have two brothers kicking your ass. _Capiche?_" His head was tilted menacingly to the side and his eyes gleamed fire. He'd always liked Sara and Michael _loved _her. Like + Love + stupid Mr. Kellerman...well, not something you want to happen.

Michael walked back into the room, a towel draped around his fist, swollen from the multiple blows he'd given to the bastard. "We should get the phone on a bus, or something." He nodded towards the phone lying on the table, amongst the dirty dishes and scattered clothes. "It worked for LJ, didn't it?"

_Yes it did. _Paul recalled the hours he'd spent waiting with Hale for the boy, a huge grin on his face, only to find out the kid wasn't on the damn bus. _Hale._ Well, Hale was a victim. He regretted killing him, in a way. But, he reasoned, it needed to be done.

_Hale died doing what you are trying to do now._ Paul shook the thought out of his head. _Bullshit.Besides, if I hadn't killed him, someone else would've. _

_Like they are going to kill you now? _Paul huffed. He wouldn't let them kill him.

"We need to move, now."

"Fine." Michael spat out. He _despised _this man, but had given into his sanity. _Besides,_ his subconscious told him, _One step away from here is one step closer to Sara._

"Look," Paul explained. "We'll go to the damn bus station, place the phone in the loo and leave. Anyplace you want to go?" His eyes rested on Michael, knowing that he had somewhere he wanted to be. Lincoln had called LJ just a few hours before and the kid was safe where he was, but Sara wasn't. And Michael would want to get to her.

Michael crossed his arms. "_You_ get us our transportation, _I'll _lead the way."

Lincoln smiled. _This _was the Michael he knew. Always the leader, the man with the plan. The guy who fought with his wit, and not his fists.

"Fine. Let's go."

* * *

Two days later

* * *

The girls

"So, wait a minute – recapping here. Michael's toes were _cut off?_" A look of horror spread on Christine's face as she imagined the scene.

"Well," Sara shrugged, "two of them. He pretends not to mind anymore, cracking jokes about the fact that 'toes are overrated' " she added quotations into the air, "but I know that he minds. I'll bet that on vacation, he'll keep his toes tucked away in socks, and then wear sandals." She scrunched her nose. "I _hate_ men who wear socks in their sandals."

"So _tell him!_ Demand that he takes his shoes off! He has to come to grips with it, otherwise your children will think their dad's a freak."

Sara laughed. "Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves?"

Christine tipped her head. "Are we?"

She received a punch to the upperarm and pretended to be hurt, her mouth falling open in a silent _'ow'_ before turning back to the cooking.

Sara smiled. It was something to wonder about...their future. Michael would be free at some point in the future, wether or not it was _legal_. Some women would put their foot down, and demand that he would turn himself in and do the right thing, but Sara wouldn't do that. If Michael wanted to deal with all that again, so be it, but Sara just wanted to _live _without waiting. The one thing she had learned from all this, was that it could all end in a blink of an eye.

Besides, most of the damage had been repaired. Abruzzi, who she believed really _had _changed, but who'd done too many bad things to be forgiven, was dead. C – note was harmless and only cared for his family, so no danger there. Sucre...she smiled. Sucre was a champ. She _knew _he'd done many things for Michael, had been his _friend_ in there, not just his ally.

Who else? Tweener, the kid, rest his soul – had been murdered, she could feel it. Westmoreland had died even before he'd set one step as a free man and – ah.

T-Bag. _Good old Theodore._ She shivered. The man had given her many scared thoughts in the past, his murders had haunted her, and knowing he was out there...

"SHIT!" Sara screamed, as she held her hand to her mouth and sucked on the blood, flowing over her thumb. "DAMN IT! Stupid bloody potatoes!"

Christine immediately turned to her and pulled the thumb away from her mouth. "Let me see." Pushing her glasses further up her nose, she peered at the wound. "It's kind of deep, Sara."

"You don't say?" Sara added sarcastically. Christine's head snapped up.

"Watch it."

The doctor blushed. "Sorry."

"Now," she continued softly, "Can you, or can you not fix this?"

Sara nodded. "Yeah...Yeah, I can do this. Do you have er – needle? Thread?"

A minute later, Sara was sewing up the wound, her hands shaking fiercely. Being the doctor is one thing. Being the patient another. Being both at the same time...Well, not easy. And with Christine hovering over her, glancing nervously in her direction – her nerves were shot.

"_You can do this, Sara."_

Yeah, Michael honey, thanks for the vote of confidence. I'd give you a two thumbs up, but they're kind of occupied right now.

Damn it, she hated being bitter. The voice inside her head had shut up, and she felt sorry for snapping at...him. _Was that as ridiculous at it sounded?_

She sighed when she cut the thread and put the needle away. _Where are you, Michael?_

The boys

Two days. They'd been in this bloody car for two days, because thanks to Michael not telling them where Sara was, he'd driven in the wrong direction two times. The car had given up on them _twice _, and they'd run out of gas miles away from civilisation (They'd sent Kellerman out for gas, because _hey!_ _Majority ruled _.)

That, plus they'd rented a motel each night, and Kellerman wasn't a morningperson, so he took hours getting up and getting ready, even though he looked as bad as he ever did, even with all the 'preparation' he claimed he needed every morning.

They'd fought four times over the music in the radio. Kellerman wanted – Michael shivered – _Country music_, but Linc had – thank God – voted in favor of Michael's rock station.

A sigh of relief slipped out when the huge welcoming board came to view, and Michael relaxed in his seat, his hands taking it easy on the wheel for the first time since this whole ordeal had started.

_Welcome to Starlete, home of Big Momma Dee!_

Kellerman whisteled through his teeth. "_This_ is where she is?" Gazing around him, he couldn't help but laugh at the cows and sheep surrounding them. "_Classy._"

Lincoln mouthed a 'SHUT UP' at him, but thankfully, Michael hadn't noticed the whole commotion.

_Millsbrooke drive, Millsbrooke drive, Millsbrooke drive,... Where are you, Sara?_

* * *

Ten minutes later, he parked the car in front of a huge house, white windows and door, red bricks...The place looked inviting...The place looked er – rich. He sat back and breathed, while the other men's eyes studied him in wonder.

Lincoln shook his head. _What was Michael waiting for?_ He knew Michael didn't want to rush things, but he figured, had it been him, he'd have run to the house and sweeped her into his arms in a matter of seconds.

Kellerman chuckled. "_Scared_, are we?" Lincoln hit him up the head. "Shut up."

Finally, Michael turned to them and cleared his throat, still taking deep breaths. "You two stay here, okay. Especially you." He pointed at Kellerman. "Linc, keep an eye on him, alright?" And then, he opened up the door and stepped out, blinking up at the sun, before walking to the front door with measured steps.

"_Breathe, Michael."_ Sara's voice said inside of his head. Or wait..._inside his head?_

He turned around and his eyes found Sara's, who was leaning against the frame of the door with a small smile on her face. His mouth instantly went dry at the sight of her so at ease, so alive, and so damn beautiful, that he couldn't utter a single word to her. Sara's eyes twinkled in the soft glow of the sun and he was...he felt...

He did as he was told, and took a breath, before taking her into his arms, loving the feel of her warm body against his. His hands, trailing up and down her back, confirmed to her that this was real – it was her. She was here.

Taking a step back, he looked at her, at her nose, the curve of her lips, twitched up in a gentle smile and finally, into her eyes, that were brimming with unshedded tears. His lips found her temple and pressed featherlight kisses to it, making her shiver and clutch to his shirt tightly.

"Michael.." she whispered, her voice sounding happy and broken at the same time. Her hands squeezed his shirt, and a sob wrecked through her body, making her knees turn to rubber. But he caught her, as she fell forward. He caught her, to never let her go.

* * *

_(bites her lip) what did you think?_

_XO_


	6. Protect me, be my hero

**A/N : Hey guys, I'm back! For another chappy...not sure when I'll be able to post the next one, finals are crazy! Please let me know what you think of this chapter - it'll bring me luck for my finals! Please, please?**

**XO**

* * *

Sara pulled back and smiled at him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I'm fine. How about you?"

She smirked. "Brilliant. Dazzling."

"You're bitter."

She shrugged. "Maybe a little." She took a glance towards the car, where she saw Lincoln sitting in the front seat. Her eyes trailed back to Michael, who'd seen her staring at the car and made a mental note to tell her about the backseater.

"How is he?" Her voice, so soft, so concerned – it made him all warm and tingly inside. How many women would have quit after the whole ordeal? How many would have turned away, never again wanting to have anything to do with them?

"_I have no ties to you and your brother anymore."_

She hadn't meant that. She'd been angry – and for damn good reason. But now here she was again, in his arms, asking how his innocent-sentenced-to-death-and-now-on-the-run brother was doing. "He's fine." _Again that same word. 'fine'. The brothers were nowhere near fine, but Sara didn't need to know that. What she did need to know..._

Michael cleared his throat. "Listen, Sara. I have something to tell you." Her eyes searched his for the words he dreaded to speak. "And you're not going to like it."

Her hands slipped off of his shoulder and she folded her arms in front of her body. Her eyebrows raised, an '_invitation'_ to go on. _This isn't going to be pretty..._

"You know the er-" his hand travelled over his worn face and his voice sounded so tired, so sad, that she understood. Whatever it was, she understood. "the er- inside man we have on our side now, the one helping us?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeees?"

"He's er – well, you've met him before." His eyes shifted nervously and even though Sara knew many people in the conspiracy, she knew who it was by the way he was acting. _No no no no. NOT him._

She backed away slowly, crossing the treshold, now in the house, with Michael still standing outside. His eyes, that had been darting around just a second ago, were now fixed on hers, his look reassuring her. "I am _not_ going to let him hurt you, okay?" He nodded slowly, hoping to get through to her. To make the widened eyes to their normal size again, to have her in his arms again. "I already made sure he won't."

Sara clucked her tongue and stared back at Michael.

"I am not going with him…" she spun around and walked back into the house, leaving him standing there with a choice. Either he followed her, and deal with her decision – or he could think about it there and leave.

She counted in her head, the paces until he followed her. _One, two,three,four_...

Sara halted in the livingroom and sighed deeply. So that was it, huh? All this time of sitting (running), waiting and wishing and then have it end like this? She needed to look back at him one last time. Was he hurt? Did he look remorseful in the least?

He knew _damn it_, he _knew_ that it was him, and still he brought along to see her? Slowly, her head turned, her eyes heavy with emotion, not quite seeing things sharply. And then her hand struck his face, hard.

"_Oh my God._" Her fingers gently brushed across his skin. "Michael, I'm so sorry – I didn't hear you behind me, I thought you'd be in the doorway and I..." She pressed her body firmly against his in apology, her breath next to his ear, trying to whisper the tears out of his eyes. "Michael –" her body shivered, while he stood there unmovingly. "Michael."

Sara sobbed, thinking she'd lost him now. He'd come after her, like she had wished he would and now – because of her fear, her constantly being on guard and scared out of her wits, she may have done irreversable damage. "Michael.." the wetness of her cheek was pressed against his warm skin. His burning cheek, where her hand had started the fire.

She broke down into his arms. Sara wasn't a woman who cried easily, but in this moment, where Michael was all she had, all she wanted – needed, she couldn't stand it anymore. Crying out his name, over and over again, she sunk to the floor, while he remained tall and statue-like.

She felt a pair of arms circle her body the next minute and strong hands lift her up. Without saying a word at all, he carried her upstairs, guessing which room to go to. It didn't matter, Christine had 5 bedrooms so there was a huge chance he'd stumble across one. He did.

Laying her down, Michael went to sit on the other side of the bed with his back turned to her and his head heavy in his hands.

_I lost him. _Sara thought, the sentence replaying over and over in her head, until the words made her choke. _I lost him, lost him, lost him._

Michael didn't know what to do. He didn't blame her for her hand's actions, he knew she didn't mean to do it. He knew he was as quiet as a feather these last few months, he'd _had to_ become unhearable. But to have _his Sara_ ...

"Hey - " It was the first word he'd spoken in over ten minutes, and her sobbing came to an abrupt stop because of that one little sound escaping his throat. Michael lay down on the bed next to her, facing her teary eyes. His hand moved slowly to her hair, and he twirled a strand around his indexfinger. "It's okay." He smiled a little and - oh, it was amazing how she became more beautiful when her face cleared up with silent hope.

"C'mere." Drawing her into his arms, he breathed in the scent of her hair and closed his eyes out of emotion. He didn't know if he could ever go on without her. True, maybe it was selfish. After all, they _were_ on the run and it could get dangerous. He shouldn't submit her to that. He shouldn't submit her to Kellerman.

Over here...he sighed inwardly. Over here she was safe.

But they would be on their own. No matter how many friends you have around you, being without the one you love feels like dying. At least, that's what he thought. _Was it too early for 'I love you's?_

"Michael," she rested the palm of her hand against his chest and pushed herself away from his body a little, so she could look into his eyes. "I'm sorry."

He smiled. "What for?"

She laughed. "Well, first of all for being a sobbing mess."

Michael pressed a kiss to her ear. "You look pretty."

Sara rolled her eyes disbelievingly. "Uhu...Then, for...you know." She pointed at his cheek, the guilt evident on her face. "I didn't hear you Michael, honestly. And with _him_ being near, my nerves were shot. I thought I'd..." she bounced her fist on his chest, before sadly looking into his eyes. "I thought I'd lost you again."

_To kiss, or not to kiss?That's the question. _

His lips tumbled down her face and connected with hers, placing a soft kiss on them. Her eyes fluttered closed and her hand moved from his upperarm to the crook of his neck, encouraging him to continue. Michael felt her hand moving, her lips touching his back, and it was like...he took a deep breath...it was like nothing he'd ever known before.

Slightly opening his mouth, he felt her do the the same and allow him entrance. _This_ feels like a high, he wanted to say. This is something I can't get enough of, will never get enough of. This is something more, though. It is something I cannot live without.

Sara pulled back slightly.

"Sara," he finally managed to get out, "you'll never lose me."

She shook her head. "You never know, Michael."

"I do." He told her with determined voice, his fingers stroking her jaw purposefully. He used them to get her to look directly into his eyes and see all the honesty that lay in them. "I do know, Sara."

She smiled one of those dazzling smiles of hers and nodded. "Okay." Sara had been around _phonies_ for a looong loong time, and Michael – he was everything they were not. "Okay."

His lips pressed a kiss next to her ear, making her shiver with pleasure. "I'm going with you, you know that right?" her voice broke through his loving administrations. His lips halted, and his eyes connected with hers again.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded fiercely. "Yes. Because as scary as it is to be around that man, it's even worse spending my days without you." Her mouth found his in a hurry and she kissed him passionately. She wasn't going to let him go again.

About an hour later, they exited the house, after Sara had hugged Christine several times and promised her to come back as soon as they could. _They,_ Christine had said, thus accepting Michael as well. It was the first time Sara had used a _'we'_form while promising. _We promise._

Paul was leaning against the hood of the car, having grown tired of sitting on the backseat, and watched them come out of the house, their arms wrapped around eachother. _So he really did love her._

Sara froze the minute she saw him, and Michael whispered something in her ear. Even from this distance, Paul could see her whole body relax. Hm.

"Hi Lance," she said when she'd come close enough to be heard. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and bitterness, but he wasn't affected by it.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you." He shrugged with his cool demeanor. _I don't give a damn either way._

She laughed. "Wow." Her head turned to Michael and she placed a kiss on his cheek, making the corners of his mouth turn up in pleasure. "Hello, Lincoln." Her face leaned down to look through the open window in the car, and her newly cut hair flowed freely.

"Hey doctor. Wait –" he got out of the car. "You sit up front with Michael, I'll move to the backseat."

"Such a gentleman." Tilting her head, she added : "Michael, why can't you be more like your brother?"

Michael cocked his head at her. "Just get in the car." He joked, and Sara felt at ease with the two ex-cons. If she would just ignore Paul, then everything would be alright. But, of course, she couldn't, when she saw the bloodstains on his shirt. The doctor in her – damn that doctorperson! – took over.

"You do know there's blood on your shirt?"

Michael snapped his eyes to the rearviewmirror, and stared straight at Paul, who laughed bitterly. "Ask your _boyfriend_..."

"Michael?" Her huge, trusting eyes looked at him, praying that it wasn't his blood on the shirt.

"I er – when I found out who he was...his connection to you, that is, I er – got a little mad, I guess."

"Aw." She placed a hand on her heart. "My hero."

Then she raised her eyebrows. "And you haven't even thought of washing it out yet?"

The three men bit their lips and looked confused. Sara laughed.

_Ah, men. This was going to be one hell of a ride._

* * *

_Okay, please 'be my good-luck charm' by reviewing..._

_XO_


	7. Tangled up in you

**A/N : Well, so far, my finals were good, I guess. Tomorrow is the toughest of all, so please, guys, send some loving my way?**

**XO**

* * *

"Now," she said, looking around the dingy car, "Who wants a sandwich?"

Lincoln's eyes started to sparkle. "You don't happen to have a Mozarella – Tomato – Bacon in there, do you?"

Sara grinned, pulling out the requested sandwich and hearing Lincoln squeal in the backseat, while Paul clutched his head. He felt a serious migraine coming up, travelling with this lot. Lincoln unbuckled, leapt forward and pressed a kiss to Sara's cheek. "You make my wildest dreams come true, Sara."

Michael grumbled "Mine." before pulling her away from his brother and kissing her fervently.

"_His"_ giggled. "Oh, Mr. Scofield! Who knew you could be so possessive."

He looked back to the road, his mouth curling up into a smile. "Possessive? Me?"

She gently swatted his arm. "Lincoln, was he like this, growing up?"

Lincoln nodded. "Yep."

"Hey!" Michael exclaimed from the front seat. "I _always _shared my cookies."

"Aw," she exclaimed. "That's sweet. Lincoln, buckle up." Michael grinned.

"Yes, Lincoln, buckle up."

His brother swore. "And no swearing." Sara continued, laughing.

He blushed. "Sorry, Sara."

Kellerman rolled his eyes and continued to stare out of the window.

* * *

About three hours later, they stopped the car, to get to yet another motel. Kellerman and Sara went in, and came out five minutes later, thriumphantically waving the keys in front of her. Michael lovingly watched Sara's bounce – step – bounce as she walked over to the car.

His brother patted him on the back. "Good for you, Mike."

"Hmm?" Michael snapped out of his trance and turned back to look at Lincoln, while Sara got in.

Lincoln just shook his head. "Nothing."

"So," Sara chewed on her bottom lip, "what do we do now."

Michael smiled softly at her. He knew she was still new to this. She shouldn't even _have _to do this.

"Well," he said, sounding certain, "I suggest _you two_" he pointed at Lincoln and Paul " go for the _I'm dragging my drunk brother inside_ sketch, while we..." he beamed at Sara "go as _the couple that's too much in love and can't wait to get to the hotelroom._"

Lincoln saw the gleam in his brother's eyes and hurriedly pushed Kellerman out of the car. They didn't have to experience all this _mushy shit_, for Pete's sake. "Okay," he said to Kellerman. "I'm drunk." Jumping up and down, he swung his arms and clapped his hands in encouragement. He manoeuvered his neck a bit, so tiny cracks could be heard, and finally said. "I'm ready."

Meanwhile, in the car...

Sara grinned and whistled through her teeth. "That er – might be a bit hard to pull off, Michael. I don't know if I can pretend like that...But," she sighed, "I'll try."

He nodded in understanding. "Yes, I know. After all, this sketch will require for me to be _all over you_, holding you close, pressing you against me and trailing kisses down your neck..."

She shivered and Michael reveled in the feeling. Hmm.

"Okay." She whispered, then ostentatiously cleared her throat. "I think I can pull that off."

"Okay." He said, his grin crooked. Getting out of the car, he walked over to her side and opened the door for her. She smiled, and it made him feel all warm inside. Hmm – he was getting such an emotional _tutz_, it wasn't even funny.

Lincoln and Paul had already gone inside about 5 minutes ago, so he figured it was clear. Sweeping Sara into a tight embrace, he walked them over to the stairs and hurriedly began climbing them, while –as promised, treating her neck to loving kisses. She softly whimpered and fumbled with the key, finally managing to push the door open and get them inside.

He could have stopped his administrations, but he didn't want to. And, by the way she was saying his name, the word filled with all the pent up passion, he knew she didn't either. Closing the door, he switched on the light (after all, they didn't know where to find the bed) and walked them over to the mattress, his mouth finally finding hers while he lay her down on the blue sheets.

His hands, cold as they might be, found their way under her green sweatshirt, and she helped him get it off of her. She plucked at the buttons of his chest, never disconnecting their mouths when unnecessary. His shirt fell open and his toned chest was there for her to see.

He pushed her tanktop a bit further up and kissed her bellybutton.

"Listen," he murmured softly against her skin. "I might er – disappoint." His chuckle ran over her skin, making the hair on her arms stand up in anticipation. "It's been a while."

She did a quick math in her head and frowned. "Michael," she finally said, "eight months is nothing compared to how long it's been for me."

His head snapped up and his crystal orbs bore into hers, confusion written in every single spot of beauty. "What do you mean?"

Sara blushed. "I haven't had a boyfriend in years and they were actually..." she bit her lip nervously, "well, they were _scumbags_." She let out a soft laugh. "What I mean to say is that this time, it's different."

Her hand travelled up his chest, following one of the inky designs that she had made herself not think about. If she overanalysed them, she would end up hurting. Sometimes ignorance is better.

Michael gently nipped at her upperlip. "Well, I'm glad to know that. It's the same for me, really. But that's not what I meant, though." He let himself fall on the bed next to her and smiled at her shyly, his hand combing through her hair. "What did you mean by _eight months_?"

Sara swallowed, the image of Michael coming out of _that room_ with _her_ still being etched into her mind. She closed her eyes briefly, seeing it all over again. And it _hurt_. It still did. "The conjugal? Nika? Ring a bell?"

He could have laughed. Could have grinned at her, for being so sweetly...well, naieve was not the word, but it's just that Nika and him...He didn't even find her attractive.

His lips pressed to her ear and softly whispered the thing he thought she wanted to hear. It just happened to be the truth too. "I never touched her. Never."

She pulled away, her eyes as large as they were during the riot, when he'd helped her down. She travelled across his face, searching for a glimpse of clarity, but found none. Michael Scofield. She smiled to herself. Sometimes, he's as obvious as lightning, and at other times he could be thunder. Heard, but not...seen. "Michael, don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying." His face, she could now read, was angry. Immediately she pushed herself to him, resting her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry." Pressing a kiss to the archangel, she closed her eyes and said it again. "I'm sorry." Her hand carressed his chest as she looked up to him. "It's just that...it _was_ the conjugal room. And you were a man, deprived of.. you know."

She rolled her eyes and he laughed. "I know. But I didn't. I didn't even find her attractive. She was just...Sara, she was a woman who needed help, and I needed a help_er_, so I just..." He blew a puff of air out of the corner of his mouth and shrugged. "Besides," he continued, putting a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was too tangled up in you."

Sara kissed the smile off of his face and dueled his tongue for sweet, sweet dominance. He let her win and her mind went in overdrive as all the emotions crashed down on her.

_Here_

_And him_

_Michael and_

_Oh God..._

_Love._

"Michael." She whispered in between kisses, her voice so beautiful to him, that his whole body stilled to hear it. "Michael – I need you. I –" Looking in his eyes, she knew it needed to be said. Now, in this perfect moment.

"I love you."

His eyes closed for a brief second before opening again. He looked at her with soft tears of hapiness prickling in his eyes. Reaching down he, he kissed her like he never had before.

"I love you too."

She smiled. "Yeah?"

He beamed at her. "Yeah."

"Then er –" her hand found the hem of his shirt, and she pulled him down on her. "how about you show me just how much..."

And he did.

* * *

_So, what did you think? Did it live up to your expectations? I know there wasn't a lot of Kellerman-bashing in this one, but I did it because someone said I should take it easy on the chap...However, expect it again in the next chapters!_

_Please, oh PLEASE, let me know what you think?_

_XO_


	8. I belong to you & Light

**A/N : Hey! Thanks to all your help, the toughest final went okay - I think...Now, let me know what you think about this chapter? Pleaaase? **

**Love to you all,**

**XO**

* * *

_Sometimes life brings more pain than we can bear alone _

_When hope is gone and I have no strength to stand on my own _

_Nothing helps there's nothin that I can do _

_You surround me and show me I belong to you _

_I belong to you, I belong to you_

_You're the one who will never let me down_

_Won't let me down, I belong_

_To you._

_(Barlowgirl – I belong to you)_

When morning came, Michael slowly opened his eyes, relishing the warmth of her body next to his. Her hair was soft against his cheek, and every curve of her body fitted perfectly against his. His hand slowly rubbed a circle on her stomach, and she silently moaned.

"I'm sorry," he said, pressing a kiss behind her ear. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Her finger ran along the inside of his rightarm, that had been her pillow the entire night. "I was awake." She turned around in his arms, her wide open eyes connecting with his. He looked at her concerned.

"Did you sleep at all?"

She nodded. "Better than I ever have." And with that, she rose a bit, the sheet making a soft whoosh-sound, and kissed him sweetly. "Thank you." She touched the light morningstubble on his jaw, and gave him a brilliant smile.

He grinned. "What for?"

She just made a soft 'hm'sound and pressed her lips to his again. He wiped her hair out of her face and leaned into the kiss, intensifying it bit by bit...until there was a knock on the door and Lincoln's voice ruined the moment.

"It's me. Let me in, bro."

Sara laughed and broke away from the kiss. "Go on." Pulling the sheet over her, she sadly let go of Michael. He stepped out of bed, got into his boxers, and walked back to where she was lying, her head propped up on her elbow, silently watching him with twinkling eyes.

"Hm." His knee fell on the bed and he reached over, pulling her into a passionate kiss.

"Listen, are you going to let me in or not?"

He sighed and walked to the door, opening it. "What do you want, Lincoln?"

His brother made a face. "Paul's driving me insane! He's been in the bathroom for – " He stopped short at seeing Sara, draped in the sheets of the bed, picking up her clothes from the floor. "I'm –" he stumbled while he ran a hand over his shaven head. "I'm sorry, Sara. I'm not used to Michael and er – women."

She blushed and smiled. "It's okay, Lincoln. And – about your problem, you don't want to be in the same bathroom as he is, trust me." A dark shadow came over her face and Michael looked on with agony, thinking about what he must have done to her. Lincoln looked at the floor, damning himself for being inconsiderate. "Now," she continued, her face clear as if nothing had happened, "I'm going to er –" she looked down at her dress of blue motelsheets. "Change."

She disappeared into the bathroom, leaving the two of them alone. Her head came to rest against the wooden door, heavy with worry. She'd seen Michael's pained look when she made her comment and felt sort of bad for him. With any other man, she'd have been angry, not needing the pity, but this was _Michael._ _Her_ Michael, who hurt because she had been hurt. And my God, did she love him for that!

A smile came to her face when she thought back to their words of the night before. _I love you too._ She'd never forget the look on his face when he said it, his eyes moist with tears because of her confession, and because of the truth behind it. The truth behind _them_. Her eyes opened again, and she smiled at her image in the mirror, before getting into the shower.

-

"So." Lincoln said.

"Yeah." Michael hadn't taken his eyes off of the bathroomdoor. "Hm?"

His brother grinned. "You've got it badly, huh?"

Michael nodded. "Yes. Now what's the plan about Paul?"

Noticing the change in his brother's demeanor, Lincoln went with it. Michael was a stubborn one, he knew, and if he didn't want to open up, he wouldn't. "The minute we don't need him anymore, he's gone."

"I agree. I still haven't forgotten about what he did to.." he shook his head. "When this is over, he won't be so happy about the 'enemies of my enemies are my friends' thing. Cause I won't be acting all that friendly."

"Hm. Listen, have you asked her about the thing her father gave her, yet?" Michael shook his head and Lincoln continued. "I suggest you do it...before he does."

-

Sara stepped out of the shower and walked over to the mirror, clouded with steam. And she did the thing she always did in situations like these : she pressed her finger to it and wrote something. Usually, it was a line to a song that was stuck in her head while in the shower. Today was going to be a sentimental one. She grinned to herself while her finger traced a few lines and a heart. Taking to steps back, she viewed her creation.

_I belong to you._ It said, with a huge heart drawn around it, and the letters _M/S_ underneath.

Sara shook her head. Was she in _grade school_? 'Cause she sure was acting that way, drawing heart and names like a girl, having her first crush. Putting on her pants, tanktop and sweater, she walked back out – and was faced with Kellerman, sitting on the bed where they'd spent their night.

"Get up." She ordered.

He ignored her, then smirked. "How was your bath, Sara?"

A shiver ran down her spine. The knowing smirk, the challenging eyes. It made her want to throw up.

Michael's head snapped around when he heard Agent Scumbag utter her name. "What did I tell you about talking to her?"

He threw his hands up in defeat. "I was just asking the lady if she'd enjoyed her bath. Jesus, a guy trying to be nice..." Michael's eyes squinted. _Bath. Something had happened in the bath.._

"I took a shower." She stated, still brave, still standing. "Now _get up_, you son of a bitch." Her voice was calm – cold – deadly, and Paul obeyed, feeling the heat sent to him by Michael's eyes. The man sure was protective of his girl.

"Now," he continued, "I tried asking her about her daddy's present, but she told me to...what was it...'go to hell'." He smirked and turned to Sara, who was staring quietly in front of her without blinking once.

She was starting to scare Michael. "So why don't you guys see if you have any more luck, maybe she won't be as..._feisty_. " He walked out of the door, slamming it hard behind him. Sara flinched at the sound, but had yet to speak a word.

"Sara?" Michael tried.

"A key." She turned her head to him. "He gave me a key." Her voice was hollow and lifeless, but at least she'd spoken, right?

-

Lincoln went out, figuring his presence was better gone. He wouldn't tell Paul what she'd said, no. He'd simply tell him she'd asked for only Michael, not him. He silently put the door in the lock and knocked on the next door, waiting for Paul to open up.

-

Sara huffed. "A key, Michael. The man who'd practically left me on my own my entire life, left me a key that would get me killed."

He walked over and drew her into his arms. "Listen to yourself, Sara. You won't get killed. I'm here, okay, I'm here." He kissed her on her forhead. "I'll protect you."

She wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye. "Yeah." Walking out of his embrace, she went to get her purse, rummaging through it until she had found the thing she'd been looking for. "Here you go. Now," she smiled. "let that brilliant mind of yours work it out, okay?"

He studied the key she'd given him, his brain switching into overdrive. He knew he'd seen the key before, somewhere, a long time ago, but he couldn't quite..._Think, Michael, think..Michael.._

"_Michael!" his boss walked over to him, and Michael resurfaced from under the modelhome, torn away from the tiny paper walls and pink ceilings. _

"_Yes, sir?"_

_Mr. Vanderbilt came to a stop in front of him, and held his hand up, a keychain pressed in his hand. From it, a small key with a crown on it, dangled loosely, defying gravity. _

"_I need you to get something for me. Michael?"_

"Michael?" Sara stood in front of him, waving her hand in front of his unblinking eyes. So this is what it was like when he got brilliant...

He snapped back into reality at the sound of her voice and cleared his throat. "It's a key."

"Yes, Michael, I'd gotten that far. Anything else?"

"It's a key to the Chicago Markings Bank. It's a key to a safe." He smiled proudly. " We've got it, Sara." He hugged her tightly. "We've _got it._"

-

One and a half hours later, they were back in the car, Sara sitting up front with Michael sweetly caressing her hand, and Lincoln in the back, keeping an eye on Kellerman and interrogating him about the Company, and Reynolds, Steadman and... well, just about everything.

"Listen," Paul said, "when we get this 'tape', we just send it out to all the important radio-stations and tv-channels. We sent one to CIA and then to all the important police-stations. We'll throw it all over America. It'll be a major blow-up." He ended, grinning with satisfaction.

Sara turned around. "And what about you, Paul/Lance/Owen? You've been a major part in this, and the president'll drag you down with her."

He nodded. "I understand that. Did things I'm not too proud of, but hey – at least I'm making a change. Maybe they'll reduce my sentence or something. It's not like I have anyone waiting for me anyway."

She smiled, but then voiced one of her major fears. "How are we going to get the tape? You two are major wanted criminals, they're on the look-out for me, and I don't trust Paul to get into my father's safe." She looked back at Paul. "No offence."

He smiled softly. "None taken."

"I didn't quite figure out that part yet. Maybe I can try robbing it again, did anyone bring a gun?" She scowled at him.

"Michael, that's not even funny."

Michael brought her hand up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it. "Sorry."

"You know," she mused, "I _could _ask my sister, but I –"

The three men stared at her. _Sister?_

Of course, Michael nodded. Her _sister._

"Wow." Lincoln said. "Didn't know you had a sister, doc!"

"Yeah," Sara answered. "We're twins."

Michael stared at her. _Twins?_

"Not like identical ones, though. She's just – my twin sister, who's slightly older."

Paul spoke up. "So then what's the problem?"

"The _problem_ –" Sara continued, "is that me and Sal had a major fight about three years ago. We haven't spoken since." She laughed. "And I doubt that 'Hey Sal, it's me, with a murderer and the two most wanted men in America' will get the job done."

He nodded. "Hm, yeah."

"Could you pull over for a second, I'd like to call her. Sal _hates _surprises, so I think it's best we call in advance. It'll help our case along."

Paul scoffed. "Can't you drive and call?Hell, you're not even driving yourself! Nope, Mr. Boyfriend's taking care of that. I.."

The rest of the car tuned him out, while Michael pulled over. Sara stepped out and pressed the digits. She'd memorised the number a long time ago, before...well, before.

"_Hello?"_ a foreign voice answered her.

"Um, hi, I am calling for Sally, is she there?"

"_I'm sorry, there's no one here by that name."_

"Oh." Sara pressed her hand to her shut eyes. "Are you sure?"

"_Yes. I'm sorry. Goodbye, Ms. Tancredi."_

Ms. Tancredi? How the hell did he know her name?

* * *

_Sooo? What did you think? It ended kinda cliffy, I know. (grins) You don't blame me, do ya?_

_XO_

_PS :Sara really does have a sister, I only found out yesterday, when I got my Prison Break DVD-box and decided to zoom in on the article Michael has of her on his window/wall/whatever. It says : "Sara Tancredi, the second eldest daughter of governor Frank Tancredi,…yada yada" I was like. "HUH?" Anyway, hello Sally Tancredi…Or, not hello? Where are you, and who was the strange man answering your phone? Next, on Somersault for Sara…_


	9. Sister

**A/N : Hey guys, had some spare time, so I figures - what the heck! (smiles) Oh, and I promise I'll finish Perfect Now, you know! It's just that this story has reeled me in, and it's keeping me locked up in a basement, only making me write chapter for this one...**

**Please tell me what you think?**

**XO greetings, from the basement.**

* * *

Sara dropped the phone onto the ground, an ashen expression on her face and all possible what if scenario's running through her mind. Sally…Had she endangered her sister by calling? Wasn't her sister safe to begin with? Had she..._my God_, she thought, falling to the ground, her hand clasped in front of her mouth. _Sally, I'm sorry._

In a matter of seconds, Michael's arms lifted her up and tried to hold her steady. His eyes were darting on her face, looking for a trace of what had happened on that phone. Had her sister yelled at her? Thrown a nasty remark her way?

"Michael," Sara said, "we have a problem."

He wiped a sweaty strand out of her face. "What is it?"

"The uh-" Sara bent over to pick up the phone, waving it in front his face. "It wasn't my sister answering the phone."

"Then who?" His brow furrowed.

She shrugged. "One of them, I guess. He said my name without me offering it first. He _knew_ who I was." She broke out of his embrace and shoved her clasped hands to her hairline. "God _DAMN IT!_"

The two other men stepped out of the car after Sara's little panick attack and Michael's helplessness. When Michael Scofield, the man with the plan and the answers, just _stood_ when being faced with a problem, then something was up. Kellerman came to stand in front Michael.

"Hey, genius, what the hell happened?" He did the annoying fingersnap-in-front-of-the-eyes thing, and Michael caught his fingers, pulling them down with force. He shook his head.

"Don't do that."

Turning around to his brother, he explained what had happened. "Shit," Lincoln said, "How could they..?"

"Your phone." Paul said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She'd called you on voice-mail, right? When your phone was in custody?"

Michael nodded. "So, that means her number and message could be heard. No doubt Kim has gotten his hands on it by now. Which means – " he took the phone from where Sara'd dropped it yet again and continued "that _this phone_ is now under surveillance." Sara was pacing the ground behind them and had it not been such a dry ground to begin with, she would've worn off all the grass. "Permission to speak to Sara?" He added, a annoyed grin on his face.

Michael didn't need to give his permission, for Sara snapped her head around at the sound of her name. "What is it."

"What did he sound like, the man?"

She shrugged. "What should he sound like?"

"You tell me..."

Sara bit her lip thoughtfully. "Kind of..soft, kind, but with a hint of sharpness."

Paul sighed. "Londain."

"Who's he?"

"Kind of like...the nice guy who kills people. All the more creepy cause he looks so sweet." Kellerman explained. He'd hated the man more than anything, and just thinking of him being on their tail...

"Oh God." Sara choked out. "Sally."

"No." Paul assured her. "They haven't gotten to Sally yet. They just intercepted the phone call."

Her hopeful eyes turned his way. "How can you be sure?"

"I was one of them, remember?No, we have to make sure your sister is safe in the future, like she is now."

_Wow_, Lincoln thought to himself,_ that must be the nicest thing he's ever said to her._

Michael spoke up again. "So, how do we do that?"

"Payphone."

Lincoln huffed. "Brilliant plan, Paul, but in case you hadn't noticed, we're in the middle of nowhere."

"Not for long. Michael, drive."

* * *

The dialtone could be heard. Again, and again, and again. With each beep, Sara lost another ounce of faith. _Pick up, Sal._ She didn't like her sister, but right now, her voice was the one thing she needed to hear more than anything.

"_Hello?"_

She let out a huge sigh. "Sally, thank God."

"_Who – who is this?"_

Just swallow the emotion down your throat, Sara. You haven't spoken in three years, it's normal that she doesn't recognize your voice. "Uhm – It's Sara."

"_Sara?"_

It's okay. "Your sister?"

"_Yeah, I know – shh, mommy's on the phone now, hang on. Sara, why are you..?"_ Her voice sounded cold and harsh, the way she was engraved in Sara's mind.

Pressing her forhead to the plastic cover of the payphone, Sara Tancredi took a deep breath. "Listen, we don't have a lot of time to talk, but..please don't hang up."

She smiled when Michael's words (well, sort of Michael's words) from long ago came tumbling out of her mouth.

"_I'm listening."_

"You know, Dad...he didn't commit suicide. He was murdered because of something he found out. I know where we can find proof of that, and people are following me because of it. I can't get to the location, because the police is searching for me, but..."

"_But I can. Is that it? You need me to get something for you, while you're being chased. "_

"Yes." _Please._

A long sigh was heard. _"Sara..."_

"Please, Sal. It's not for me. Do it for Dad."

"_Yeah..yes, okay. He told me you'd ask me something like this anyway. I know he didn't..." _she let out a pained breath. _"kill himself. So where do you want to meet?"_

"The place we used to play when we grew up. You remember?"

"_You mean t.."_

"Shh." Sara cut her off. "They might be listening."

"_Wh - ? Sara, you're starting to freak me out."_

"I'm sorry. This case runs deep, very deep. How about we meet in about...5 hours – 4 o' clock? Get your family safe,first, okay?"

"_Okay."_ The click of could be heard when Sally placed down the phone. Sara let out a huge sigh. Talking to her sister made all the memories come back to her. There were a few good ones. But...

She got in the car and placed her hands on the ceiling, stretching her body and tilting her face up to the sky. "So?"

"So," she answered. "We're meeting her at 4."

* * *

_There's a playground that we used to run on_

_where Pennie dropped and broke her arm_

_the monkeybars that you fell from_

_the swingset chain that stuck with my tongue_

_(Loquat - swingset chain)_

Sally Tancredi stood in the cold, her face hidden in the scarf her mother had made her when she was nine. The scarf was several metres long, and an ideal companion in this weather. Her mind mulled over the conversation she'd had mere hours ago, with a sister she thought she'd never hear from again. They'd gone their seperate ways, and Sally had imagined it to stay that way.

But now her 'younger' sister had called her, from God knows where, delivering a message of doom. Their father had told her this could happen, and had pleaded with her to _try and make things right with her sister._ She huffed, and her breath made a small cloud appear.

The swing squeaked with the heavy wind, and the noise annoyed her so much that she just had to sit down on it, to make the sound disappear. She liked order to reign over her life. She wanted balance. Sara had always been the wild child. Her eyes looked at the playground, and she had to swallow hard when all sorts of memories hit her.

_"Sal! Sa-haaal!" Sara chased behind her sister, trying to retreive the stick she'd claimed as hers. "Sal!" And then she stood still, abruptly. She opened her mouth and let out a soundless cry, before turning up the volume and screeching all over the playground._

"_God," Sally whined. "Take it!"_

_Sara greedily took back the stick, and wiped her face with the back of her free hand. "Hi Bob." She whispered, petting the stick lovingly. Sara always named her sticks Bob. Who knows why – but she did._

_Her sister laughed and scooped her up in her tiny arms, struggling to get the girl who was mere minutes younger, over to the swingset. "Want me to push you?"_

"Memories, huh?" She looked up at the voice that shook her out of her reverie and couldn't even force a smile at seeing the girl, many years older than the one from her memory.

"It was a long time ago."

Sara nodded. She'd told the boys she'd go on her own, and they'd agreed, but had insisted on circling the parc, for protection. "Listen, I'm sorry about all this." She huffed. "But, just think as if you're doing it for Dad."

"I will." Sally's voice was cold as ice, and her eyes showed no sign of the love they'd once felt for each other. Neither did Sara's for that matter, which was understandable, after...

"Okay. Do you know the Chicago Markings Bank?"

She nodded mutely and Sara held out the key to her.

"This is a key to a safe there. It must contain something important. It was enough to get him killed."

"Fine. You want me to get it now?"

Sara nodded. "If possible. I'd offer you a ride, but I doubt you'd want to be in that car. But if you wait here for a minute, I'll go get someone to go with you. Okay?"

A minute later, she came back with Paul. "He'll go with you."

"Can I trust him?"

"Yes." Sara answered, without so much as a blink in between. Truth was, she didn't trust Paul completely, but she couldn't go herself, and Michael and Lincoln were out of the question. It was a sort of 'if he/she screws up...'. Besides, her sister would be safe when one of them came, 'cause Paul would fight 'em. The guy _can _be useful, turns out.

"We'll meet you back here in two hours. You guys stay low, alright?"

Sally raised her brow."Who's with you?"

_Oh, just my fugitive boyfriend and his sentenced to death brother. _"Friends."

"Fine." She bit back. "Then don't tell me." Turning around, she walked away, her raven hair swaying angrily behind her.

"Go with her, Paul. I'll be in the car."

Walking back over to Michael and Lincoln, she fell next to Michael on the front seat and snuggled up to him. He pressed a kiss to her hair to soothe her, and she swore she'd never felt this safe.

"How did it go?"

"We didn't kill eachother...yet."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the bank

"Yes, my father had a safety deposit box here and I would like to empty it."

The old man peered at them over the edges of his glasses. "May I have the key, please?"

Sally handed it over, watching while the man studied it. Her heart was beating in her chest. Something would go wrong, she felt it.

"Hm." The man grunted. "Follow me, please."

He guided them to a small hall full of lockers and halted in front of one of them. "This is it. I will be waiting for you outside. When you are ready..."

"Yes, _thank_ you." Paul barked impatiently. Pleasantries could be left behind in times like these, when the salvation of a whole year of fighting lay within their reach.

"So, I'll just open it?"

He nodded. "Please."

Sally put the key into the lock, turned it and opened the box. Her hand reached inside and travelled around the small surface.

"It's empty"

* * *

_Wow, that was kinda predictable, not? Kinda cliffy too...I'm getting the hang of these cliffs...Hehe. Next chapter is written, 'cause next week, I won't have any time what so ever, so I'll post it then, yah?_

_Let me know what you think, please?_

_XO (Oh! Is that a ray of sunshine?)_


	10. Multiple Blows

**A/N : Hey! It's me again...Still reading? Still liking? Pleaaaase let me know!**

**XO**

* * *

"Wait," Paul laughed disbelievingly. "What do you _mean_, it's _empty_?"

She looked back at him without a shadow of doubt on her face. "Exactly what I said. There's nothing here."

"No." Paul said, and he stuck his hand in the safe, feeling around. "No. It _has_ to be in here." He swore, and the woman clucked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Go get the old man, Sally." Her eyes went wide. _How dare this man order her around?_ "Listen," he continued on a softer note, "could you _please_ get the man."

She spun around and disappeared in search of the old man. She found him exactly where he told them he'd be, patiently waiting outside of the little hall. "Excuse me, sir. There seems to be a problem with our safety deposit box."

He turned his head and peered at her again. Jesus, the guy couldn't look just a _bit_ friendly, could he? "What seems to be the problem, miss?"

"There seem to be possessions missing. My father had assured me the box would be filled with something and there is nothing there."

He frowned. "And you are sure he didn't get it out himself, or a relative?"

She shook her head. "I am positive."

"Has he moved out of town, or uhm –" the little man looked uncomfortable. "What I mean to say is, is your father...still with us?"

"No." She shook her head. "He passed away a month ago."

"Ah!" the man smiled, then frowned. "I mean, my condolences. But I have found the solution to your problem. If you and your friend would follow me?"

"Just a minute." She went over to the hall, and called out to the man she didn't even know. "He knows where the insides went."

* * *

Sara beat her fingers on the dashboard, a steady rhythm soothing her. She started softly singing along to the song playing inside of her head and the men could only watch as she became wrapped up in her own world, completely ignoring the both of them.

They could only guess what had happened between the two sisters all those years ago. They couldn't imagine how _anything _could drive the two of them apart, so to see a kind of thing like that happen in another family, with another pair of siblings..

Michael felt bad. He didn't want to pry, but damn it, this curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know, and to have his girlfriend have this _thing_ that he didn't know about...it drove him insane.

"Sara.." he tried, but she shook her head.

"Uh-uh, Michael. Curiosity killed the dog."

Lincoln coughed. "_Cat._"

She stopped her drumming and turned back to look at him. "Not in Sassy's world, it's not."

His brows furrowed. "Who the hell is Sassy?"

"Homeward Bound." Michael answered for her, and she turned her head in surprise, before pressing a small kiss to his lips.

"I can't believe you knew that..."

He smiled and pulled her further into his arms, before locking their mouths. "Of course."

Lincoln turned his head to side window, overcome with memories of Veronica and – oddly enough, Jane. He shook her out of his mind. How did she end up next to Veronica? And then he shook her out of his mind, too. He couldn't let himself think of her now, this wasn't the place, or time to cry.

He looked at the clock and cleared his throat. "Sara...uhm – Sara? It's been over an hour."

She let go of Michael's lips and grinned at him. "Fine, I'll go. You guys behave, okay?"

Smiling, she stepped out of the car, but with every step she took, her smile faded a bit. _What next?_ Should she take Sally to the car and let her meet the boys? Surely, she couldn't let her just walk off, knowing she could be in danger...She let out a heavy sigh. This would proove to be a long day.

"And?" She called out, when she saw the two figures coming closer. Paul nodded, a grin plastered on his face.

"We got it!"

Sally looked on while Sara's face cleared, and she smiled on of her brilliant smiles. Remembering the days when she'd smiled like that, when they were cuddled up together in the same bed, determined to make it through the night in that small, cramped bed, Sally swallowed hard. _That's in the past._

"Listen," she said when they'd reached Sara. "I must go, okay?"

The other woman shook her head. "Not immediately. You're in danger, now."

She huffed. "So, what do you suggest I do?I do have a life, unlike some people."

"At least let us protect you."

"You and your _friends_? Sara, I'm not dumb..My guess, is that that car is filled with fugitives you let escape in that prison of yours."

Sara gritted her teeth at the superior voice her sister had. "Don't you dare judge me without knowing the whole story."

"What's there to know? Poor little Sara fell into a trap and _oops!_ Accidently opened the door to the scumbags."

"Not here." Sara said, calmly. "You can yell at me all you want, but not here."

"Let's go, then. Walk me to your car."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Sally opened the door to her house and let in two fugitives, a sister and another guy. The meeting with the brothers had been anything but pleasant, but apart from a few snide remarks, she hadn't made a scene. Sara was right, not over there. But in here, they could yell all they wanted.

It's not that they wanted, by the way. It was just inevitable.

"Well," she said, dropping the keys onto the glass table, making the sound ring through the appartement, "I need to go pick up Ben from daycare."

"You named him after his father." She turned to the voice, and saw her sister standing there with a smirk on her face. "How very fucking sweet." She bit out. "Unless your talking of the father himself? Still in touch?"

"In case it's any of your business, no. But I don't think _you_ should lecture on keeping in touch and behaving like an adult."

Sara laughed bitterly. "Oh, because what you did was so mature?"

The anger was building up in both women, it couldn't be averted anymore. Sally cocked her head towards the men. "You want to fight? Well, let's fight. But do you really think _they _should witness this?"

Sara looked towards the men. Michael was standing there with a lost expression on his face, not knowing what to do, Lincoln looked curious...and Kellerman? Well, Paul Kellerman looked anxious to see the fight. She nodded, knowing her sister was right. "Guys, could you go to the next room or something?" The men looked doubtful, and Michael looked as if he was scared to leave her alone. "Please?" They nodded, and walked to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry." Sally yelled after them, "boyfriends are not allowed."

Sara roared with laughter. "Yes, before she sleeps with you too!"

Sally couldn't take it anymore. "For fuck's sake, Sara. I've told you a million times. He was _HIGH _that night!"

Sara let out an angry sob. "You WEREN'T!"

"I didn't want it to happen."

"Yes, I saw you put up such a great fight, moaning and writhing underneath him, screaming his name in pleasure." Sara saw the scene in front of her again, and supressed a shiver that wanted to course through her body.

"You _watch it,_ lady. I just did you a great favor today. Without me, you would've..."

"Do you think I _willingly_ jumped into this whole conspiracy? Do you think I _chose _this?"

Sally snorted. "Who knows what you get off on these days."

"You know, I really don't see where _you _get off being angry?"

"You don't see that?" Sally yelled. "You never _once_ came to see me when I was in the hospital!"

"Well _cry me a river. _Can you blame me for not wanting to see you, my boyfriend, or the child you just had together? _God!_ "

At the other end of the door that seperated the livingroom from the kitchen, the men all held their breaths. Wow.

Michael closed his eyes, leaning his forhead against the cold tiles. He could feel Sara's sadness washing over him, the bitterness and anger.

Sally spoke up again. "I'm leaving. I don't care what you do. Go OD or something, I don't give a damn."

"You go ahead, Sally..._LEAVE! _It's what you always do!"

She slammed the door shut, and the three men just waited. Like little children, they waited until the teacher said they could come out.

"It's okay, guys. You can come out now." Sara's voice sounded worn and tired.

They exited the kitchen one by one, not knowing where to look. _Anywhere _but at her, sitting there on the sofa with her head in her hands.

Michael sat next to her, just as she'd expected. He drew her into her arms, just as she'd expected. And just as she'd expected - he didn't say a word. She was thankful for it. Words would get in the way, and she'd probably start yelling at him anyway.

A silent kiss pressed to her hair and she closed her eyes from the tenderness of it.

And then, of course, agent moron spoke up. "So, does your sister have a laptop or anything?"

She sighed. "I don't know, Paul. I've never even been here." That made her think. _Never been here. _Getting out of Michael's arms, she stood and walked around the room, touching objects here and there, with exploring fingertips, discovering her sister's life piece by piece.

The room was filled with pictures of a small boy, that Sara knew must be her son. Blond, sunkissed hair and twinkling blue eyes stared back at her. He looked...sweet. Sara sighed. He had his father's eyes.

Her eyes skimmed the bookshelves and she let a smile take her over when she found a particular one. Her soft heels clicked on the floor, while the men watched, enchanted. Three fingers pulled the book towards her and she carefully opened it.

"_To my Sal – Sal_," she read out loud. "_Happy 16th birthday, girl! Love you forever, your lil' sis'...Sara_."

She huffed. "Forever isn't as long as it used to be."

"Yes it is," Michael's voice drifted across the room. "It still is forever."

His arms came around her middle, and she leaned back into him, closing the book and putting it back in its place.

"That was touching," a foreign voice, yet heard before, threw into the conversation. His sparkling green eyes travelled around the room.

"Bravo, Paul." He continued. "You found them."

Paul nodded. "Londain."

* * *

_Love it? Hate it? _

_Please love it?_

_Let me know? Pleaaase?_

_XO_


	11. Monster

**A/N : This is a 'oh my god, what an asshole' chapter. Please let me know if you like it, because I'm not sure I am good at writing scenes like this...Should I be more like this, or stick to the romance?**

**XO**

* * *

"God Damn it!"

Lincoln let out a loud curse, while Paul walked over to his colleague, his gun drawn and pointed towards the threesome.

Michael's eyes went large and his grip on Sara tightened. "Paul, what the hell?"

"I'm sorry," Paul snarled at them. "It's nothing personal. I just needed..." he waved the tape in front of them. "this. And Sara hadn't cooperated, so..." He frowned. "Why the hell am I explaining myself to you."

Londain gave him a sideways glance. "Beats me."

"So this was your plan all along?" Michael spat out,releasing Sara and walking over to the pair of them, standing there all high and mighty...looking as if they owned the world.

"Ah-ah-ah, Michael? Is this a wise move?" Londain had directed his gun at Sara's head and clucked his tongue while slowly shaking his head. "Perhaps –" he continued, his kind voice not matching his deadly intentions. "I should...kill her first? And then you?"

The look in Sara's eyes was one of pure fear, similar to the one he'd seen in those beautiful eyes of hers during the riot. _Sara_...

Michael wanted to run to her, and to get her safe as fast as he could. But that would only result in her death. Or his death, maybe both. So instead, he tried to send her a warm feeling, an attempt to show her that he would do anything for her. Her eyes softened, as if she'd felt it.

Sara swallowed when the world around her and the agent's threatening voice blurred. She couldn't explain the how, but she felt Michael, deep into the core of her body. She managed a soft smile, until the voice became as clear as day again, slithering through the room.

"Unless, you would want me to be a little more..." the man licked his lips. "creative. I am sure I could find some wonderful things to do to this body. " He grinned. "I am very...flexible."

"Marcus." Kellerman's voice cut through the tension, as Michael strained to hold himself back. Londain was standing far too close to Sara, and the love wasn't enough anymore. "We don't have time for this."

"We don't?" He asked innocently. "Well, last time _I _checked, you were told to put this lady six feet under. How about we do what Kim asked us to, but have a little fun ourselves."

_Michael..._Sara's plea resounded in his head. _Michael, I'm scared._

Looking deeply into her eyes, he hoped she could feel him. _I won't let anything happen to you, _he whispered back to her.

"That was when she still had this." He dangled the key in front of his eyes. "Now, she is of no further value to us."

Londain let out a laugh. "Don't tell me you fell for her too? What _is it _about this woman that fascinates you so?" He trailed a finger down her face. "Do you, perhaps know the answer, Miss Tancredi?"

"Don't touch her." Michael's voice was icecold, which was ironic, seeing as he was the good guy in this whole scenario.

"Oh?" The man had a playful smile on his face and turned to Michael. Lincoln saw his chance and kicked the man from behind, leaving the man to stumble.His hand never let go of the gun and the minute his body hit the cold floor, he immediately rolled onto his back and pointed the gun into Lincoln's face. "Tsk. Mr Burrows, I thought you'd _at least_ more sensible then that."

Kellerman sighed. "We go now, Londain."

"Paul."

"We have what we came for. Any murder we commit to here, will be a trace back to us. We cannot have this. We bind them here, call the cops and be done with it. Let them rot away in jail."

"Along with your precious doctor?"

"Yes." His voice was certain and his eyes connected to Sara's in decision. "Yes. She hasn't been innocent for a long time. Let her die with them."

Londain nodded and roughly grabbed Sara by her wrist, taking her to the chair and binding them with whatever means he could find, while Kellerman did the same to Michael and Lincoln, on the other end of the room. Michael looked at Kellerman in disgust.

"You're despicable."

Kellerman winked at him. "Sticks and stones, Michael. Do you honestly think I care of what you think of me?"

Walking backwards to the front door, he kept his gun trained on them. "Goodbye, boys. Sara."

Londain grinned at Michael. "You can pine for your love over there, Mr Scofield. Ah, all those inches seperating. What a pain." Roughly grabbing Sara's head, he pushed his lips to hers and forced his tongue into her mouth, while she struggled and tried to kick her legs up and into his crotch. He had bound her too tightly and her legs never reached their mark. She butted her head to his, but he kept on forcing, kept on pushing and thrusting.

Michael rattled his handcuffs and pulled at the refrigerator, trying to get free. "STOP" He yelled. "GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU MAGOT." Londain stopped what he was doing to let out a big laugh, before moving in once again.

Sara bit his lips, hard. He could taste the blood, seeping into his mouth. Pulling away, he back-handed her across her face.

"LEAVE! GET AWAY!" Michael had never stopped yelling and fighting to get free.

Sara spit into Londain's face. "Go." She hissed. "Leave."

He stood up and wiped an imaginary plush off of his suit, his blue eyes sparkling with pleasure. "Paul, I think I've had enough of this. Let's move."

Kellerman left, and Londain looked around the room one last time. "Well, it's been a pleasure. Especially you, Mrs. Tancredi. You were very pleasureable."

Michael growled. "Well, Mr. Scofield. She's all yours. Just- go and get her." The door slammed and a soft sob could be heard from the other end of the room.

"Sara –" Michael's voice called out to her, and his handcuffs clattered. "Sara!"

She was silent, until a small voice wafted through the air. "I'm okay."

* * *

Evil

Paul started the car with all the ease in the world. Their black Land Rover was hardly suspicious, and they had no one to run from now. He grinned. _He was back on top of the chain._

"Yes," he heard his 'partner' say. "The address is 2173 Westfall, in Chicago. You will find Scofield and Burrows there for your taking."

A silence filled the car, while the person on the other end of the line asked a question. Londain smiled. "Who I am doesn't matter, miss. I am only a..." he gave Paul a sideways grin. "...concerned citizen."

Paul barked a laugh when Marcus flipped his phone closed. "Well, thank God there are concerned citizens like you to save the day."

* * *

_So, what did you think?Pleaaase tell me?_

_XO_


	12. Twelve

**A/N : Wow, now that was fast, huh? This chapter goes out to LilCosette, who 'gently' persuaded me into writing more asap. **

**Thank you, everyone still reading and reviewing. I really hope you tell me if I can live up to the expectations.**

**XO**

* * *

Sally Tancredi sat in the park, looking at her little boy, who was going as high as he could on the swing. "Ben, sweetie- not _too_ high, please." 

Even from where she was sitting, she could see the big pout on her son's face. _Great. _She thought. _Can't seem to please anyone today. Hell, I just put my life at risk by going into that bank, and what do I get in return? An awful lot of yelling and three fugitives in my house._

Speaking of, she decided it might be time to return home. She'd gotten Ben, she'd taken him to the park and had been out of the house for about an hour. _Maybe they've left._ She wanted to return for two reasons. A : she wanted to make sure the criminals didn't rob her and B : she wanted to see Sara again. She still hadn't forgiven her, she never would – too much time had passed – but seeing her was...nice, because it was a one time occurence. And who knows, maybe she'd regret it, maybe not.

Walking over to the swingset, she caught her son midair. "Let's go home."

* * *

"I don't hear any sirens yet." Sara stated matter-of-factly. 

Lincoln, who'd put his head in his arms, covering his eyes, replied sadly. "They'll be here soon enough."

Michael looked around, looking for anything to take apart and to help them get out of this mess. Once again, he felt as if he needed to save the day, get everybody out okay. He bit his lip angrily. _The one time when he needed to...Argh._

_Wait..._ "I hear something." He said and the two looked at him in fear.

"Sirens?"

He shook his head. "It sounds like..keys."

Sara sucked in a breath. "Oh no. SAL, KEEP BEN OUT."

"WHAT?" Sally's voice came from the other end of the door, along with the excited small voice, yelling 'Who's there? Who's there, mommy?'.

"BEN CAN'T SEE THIS!"

Sally nodded to the door. "Ben, baby, I need you to do something for me. If you close your eyes for me, until we get to your room, I'll give you a present."

His brow furrowed. "What _kind _of present?"

_Think, Sally._ "I'll get you the new Monster Truck."

Ben's eyes widened. "The one you said you'd never ever get me?"

His mother cursed herself. "Yes, that one."

He giggled. "Okay!"

"No peaking, alright?Otherwise you won't get it ever."

A firm nod and a heavy squeezing of the eyes. Sally took the boy on her arm while she opened the door and hurried inside.

"Oh my God." She looked at the three people, chained to her appliances, struggling to get free. Her hand was clasped in front of Ben's eyes.

"What is it, mommy?" His small voice echoed around the room.

"Nothing, sweetie. Okay, I'm going to get you to your room now. Remember what I told you – no peaking." His blond hair shook with his head. "I won't."

* * *

Three minutes later, after she'd told Ben not to come down (if he wanted that godawful thing, he's have to earn it), she rushed back into the livingroom. "What happened?" Her voice bordered panick, that she didn't know where it came from. After all, the criminals were bound, wasn't that a good thing? 

"One of the bad guys came and our forth member turned out to be evil himself. They – Sal, the cops are on their way now." Sally swallowed hard, while she worked on her sister's bondage.

A tear ran down Sara's cheek. "Sally –" her sister looked up at her face, "why are you doing this?"

She shrugged. "I don't... not give a damn."

They shared a small smile while working on the boys. Michael looked at their host. "Do you have a screwdriver? I need to tear this," he showed her his cuffs, "apart."

Her eyebrows raised. "You can do that?"

Sara grinned at her, proud of her man. "He can do anything."

Michael blushed. "Er- so, do you have one?"

"Sara, can you grab one for me?" She smiled back at her sister. "They're in the top drawer over there."

Sara walked over to the drawer and pulled one out, hurrying back to Michael and putting it in his hands. When he opened it after mere seconds, she proudly kissed his cheek. "Bra-vo, baby." Walking over to help Lincoln out of his misery, she worked on him as fast as she could.

Michael stood up, stretched, and turned to look at Sally. "Listen, I'm sorry, but we have to go. Thank you so much, for everything."

She nodded. "Keep her safe."

He didn't need to ask her who she meant. "I will."

Lincoln and Sara joined them, just as the sirens started to blast in the distance. "Hurry," Sally said. "Just, Go. You were never here."

Sara hugged her briefly. "Thank you."

Sally nodded, her chin bouncing on her sister's shoulder. "Take care."

They let go of eachother, and Sara left after telling her one more thing. "Sal...you've got a wonderful kid, there. He deserves that Monster Truck."

* * *

The bad guys' headquarters, Chicago.

"My, my, my, Mr. Kellerman. Never thought I'd see you here again." Kim walked over to the pair entering the headquarters. "Mr. Londain, nice to see you. I hope you both achieved what needed to be achieved?"

The men nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Well," he made a wide gesture, "let's have it then."

Paul smirked. "Well, that might pose to be a problem."

* * *

_I'm getting rather fond of cliffs...grins Please, please, please, tell me what you think...And if you want me to write more, faster - just ask around. There are some people here who can persuade me. LOL Or just try on your own...I don't bite and am a very very nice girl. winks_

_XO_


	13. ZERO

**A/N : Thanks everybody, for reviewing the previous chapter. And MiSa - PizVe, thanks for the plea.. :) **

**Here, for you guys, chapter 13.**

**Please, lemme know, yah? **

**XO**

**PS: Last final - tomorrow. Ffieeuw.**

* * *

Kim barked a laugh. "Oh Paul, please don't tell me you screwed up _again_?"

"No." His agent answered. "You did."

The whole office stopped what they were doing and all eyes turned to Paul. People feared Kim and no one would even think of doing what Paul was about to. _You did?_ What the hell is he thinking? Eyes wided, mouths dropped open and even a couple of eyebrows shot up in the air.

"Paul?"

"You see," Paul continued, his voice cool and collected. He needed to get himself together and stand up to the man for only a few minutes. Then, he could bask in his victory and return to normal again. But at least he'd know that the power had been switched. He'd tower over Kim, and humiliated him in front of all the staff. "the last time we talked, you screwed me over. I recall something about threats of 'disappearing forever'? Well, consider this as my assurance. I won't give you _any_ tape, Kim." He grinned like a satisfied cat and rearranged his suit.

"Now, can I get some coffee over here?"

Nobody moved, until Paul settled his eyes on a scared intern, and cocked his head towards the coffeemachine. The intern rushed off in search for coffee.

But Kim had other plans. He leaned in towards Paul and pointed his finger threatening at him. "If you even think for a minute," he told him, his voice low and powerful, "that I will give into this nonsense, then you are sadly mistaken, Paul." He laughed. "I don't think you would have the guts to release that tape, which you'll loose in about...5 seconds." Turning his head, he nodded at a couple of suits, who aimed their guns at Paul before he could draw his own.

The intern walked back in and dropped the cup of coffee. The sound of the plastic cup hitting the floor and all the liquid spilling over the edge, was the only sound disturbing the silence.

Paul's breathing didn't even speed up. His eyes never even twitched in fear. He just clucked his tongue. "Now look what you did," his eyes peered towards the sticker, clumsily hanging on the young boy's sweater "Jeremy." The boy blinked in surprise. "Well," Paul continued. "Don't just stand there. Make me a new one."

Kim gave the boys another nod, and three of them moved in to – well, the plan was to get the tape from Paul, by force if neccesary. They were surprised when their 'victim' willingly spread his arms, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Go on, boys – search me. You won't find a thing."

"He's bluffing." Londain spoke up, standing near the waterfountain. "I was with him the whole time. He never left my side."

Their 'boss' nodded. "Search him."

* * *

"Do you - ..." Sara said, out of breath. "Do you think we lost them?"

Michael gently put a finger to her lips. "Sh."

He listened closely, closing his eyes and focusing on the sound of the sirens. They were leaving. He looked at Sara again and squeezed her close to his body. "They're gone."

"Are you sure?" His brother questioned.

Michael nodded decisively. "Yes."

She leaned in on his chest. "Michael...what are we going to do now?"

He didn't know. He didn't. Paul had been their only hope. And then, it turns out he was...Damn it!

"Michael...we could call Jane." Lincoln's voice held a lot of hope in it, because...well, Jane meant LJ. And he didn't not look forward to seeing her again, either. He wanted to find out why his subconscious had her placed next to Veronica. It was probably, Lincoln mused, because Jane was the first woman he'd come in contact with after Fox River. And _in_ Fox River, Sara had been there, but she belonged to someone else.

The strange this is, though – that Lincoln had never felt attracted to her. Why hadn't he? She was an attractive woman, and he'd been in Fox River looong before his brother. So why now, why Jane?

He tilted his head, awaiting his brother's response. Despite the fact that Lincoln was, in fact, the elder brother, he had always followed Michael's lead. Michael had always known what to do, and had always looked after him. He needed his younger brother to guide him through life.

Michael just sat there, stroking Sara's hair and thinking of his brother's suggestion. _Aaah,the infamous Jane. His father's loyal partner. She could help, yes. And they'd be relatively safe, yes. Hm._ "How do you plan on contacting her?"

He passed the look on Lincoln's face off as a joy to see his son again, and watched anxiously as his brother took off his left shoe and reached inside, pulling out a piece of paper. He laughed. "Your feet smell."

Lincoln hit him up the head. "They do not."

Sara smiled at the interaction. She imagined what it was like for them, growing up together. It must have been rough, but seeing them together like this made her realise that not all of it was bad. Maybe someday in the future, Lincoln would share embarrasing Michael-growing-up-stories. She couldn't wait. Letting out a soft sigh to Michael's chest, she felt his lips on her hair and smiled. She felt her eyes droop, but struggled to keep them open. Sleeping was not an..not an option right...right now...

Michael looked at Lincoln with wide eyes. "She's asleep..."

"She what?"

"Well," his younger brother teased, "it's either that, or the smell of your feet have put her into a coma."

Lincoln rolled his eyes. "Puh-lease. But er – what do we do now?"

Michael looked at his girlfriend lovingly, before gazing around the deserted ally. "I think we're relatively safe here. How 'bout we give her a minute or ten?"

His brother nodded. "I think it's best that she calls Jane. She'll stand out less in the crowd. She's missing, but not 'wanted by the FBI for escaping out of prison'."

Michael sighed. "She's wanted for 'aiding and abetting them', I reckon." His eyes turned sad. "I should have never gotten her into this."

"Michael, stop feeling fucking sorry for yourself. If you hadn't, then her father would have anyway. And just think of everything the both of you would be missing."

Images appeared in front of Michael's eyes: from the image of her standing in that doorway, looking so happy to see him, to the time when she'd told him she loved him. The way she felt in his arms, right now...

Maybe his brother was right, he thought. But the guilt wouldn't disappear.

* * *

Ten minutes later, he woke her up by shaking her softly in his arms. "Sara?"

She murmered something about 'five more minutes', before reality kicked back in and she hurriedly opened her eyes, whispering a soft 'sorry'.

"Oh my God," she continued, "did I – did I fall asleep? Because I told myself not to."

Michael grinned. "I'm sure you were very convincing."

She blushed. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

His fingers trailed her jaw. "You deserved a break."

"Listen, Sara –" Now, there's Linc for you, never one for...tact. "We need you to call Jane. You're the one who will be the least suspicious, and I'm sure there's a payphone just a few blocks away."

Sara nodded. "Okay. But what the hell am I going to pay the payphone with?"

"Huh?"

A laugh escaped her throat. "Lincoln, _pay_phones are called that way for a reason. I need some money."

_Shit. Money._

"Uhm..." the boys looked at eachother.

She sighed. Let me guess, we don't have any money, right?"

"Right." Lincoln nodded.

"So you need me to steal? Because I won't steal.. I won't.." She shook her head fervently. No sir, nope, not her. "Wait." Feeling around in the front pocket of her jeans, she triumphantically held up the quarter. "Hah!"

"Nice move, honey." Michael quickly pressed his lips to hers.

She smiled. "I'm a genius, huh?"

"You sure are..."

"Here," Lincoln thrust the paper into her hands, and she gazed at the numbers. "Call her."

"Ieeuw." Michael let out a whine. "Please tell me that's not the piece of paper you just pulled out of your shoe."

Sara held it up to her nose, before hurriedly removing it again. She scrunched up her nose. "Afraid so."

* * *

_So, what did you think? I tried to put some lightness in it, too...Didn't want it to be too...I dunno. _

_Pleaaase, teeeell meeee?_

_XO _


	14. Rebels and Roadtrips

**A/N : Hey guys, I know it's been a while, and I'm sorry! I just got my results today, along with the official start of my vacation. So, expect a lot of writing, for Somersault for Sara, but also for Perfect Now ánd for my newest story 'Orange Sky'. I'd love it if you were to check out that latest baby, and tell me if I should continue with it...**

**Now, please tell me you haven't forgotten about this story? And that you will review and let me know what you think? Yah?**

**XO**

* * *

Paul laughed when the search for the tape came up empty. "Kim, don't you know that I never _kid around_? When I tell you I don't have it, then I don't."

Kim's eyes blazed fire, but you wouldn't tell by the calm note of his voice. "And _you_ should know, Paul, that when I don't get what I want, I destroy the person who's responsible."

His opponent nodded. "Yes, Bill, you made that quite clear the last time we spoke. _Ergo_, the disappearance of the tape." The tone of his voice went up in the last part of the sentence, showing the obviousness of his actions.

In a matter of seconds, Londain's hands were around his throat, his firm grip pressing Paul's pipes together. _Damn it, hadn't he been nearly-choked enough times in the last few days? _

"Marcus. Let go." Kim's voice ordered.

"But sir.."

"Let. Go."

Marcus sighed heavily, before letting go of the 'evil' one in the office. The traitor.

"Thank you, Bill." Paul quipped. "Maybe you should keep him on a shorter leash in the future."

Londain clenched and unclenched his fists. _Let me have him, Bill. He needs to pay._

"That's quite enough, Paul."

A bitter laugh travelled around the room. "Is it, now? What makes you think you get to order me around anymore? The most important piece of evidence, and _I _possess it. " He cocked his head. "Watch your mouth, now. Because I don't think you - "

Kim's hand had travelled towards his briefcase, and he had been rummaging through it for a while now. Finally, he pulled out the item he was looking for, and presented Paul with the picture.

"Oh." His agent fell silent. "Right."

* * *

"_Hello?"_

"Hi." Sara greeted, somewhat apprehensive. She fiddled with the foot-note and stuttered her way to a conversation with some Tarzan-woman she didn't know. "Uhm, is this Jane?"

"_That depends on who's asking."_

Well, Sara immediately saw the connection with the brothers. That reserved-ness. "Uhm, Michael Scofield's girlfriend." _She LOVED saying that. _"I'm here with the brothers, we've ah- we ran into some difficulties, and we need somewhere to hide. Lincoln would love to see his son again."

"_Right. We should probably meet, then. Where are you?"_

Sara laughed. "In a dark alley, somewhere."

Jane nodded with a small laugh. _"Figures."_

"Uhm – " Sara continued. "We're in Chicago, the corner of 25th and Barnsvelt."

"_I'll be there in twenty minutes, alright. You make sure the boys are with you.Bye."

* * *

_

Twenty minutes later, they 'mounted' the enormous black SUV, driven by a blond woman with a professional attitude. Lincoln sat up front with her and Michael and Sara sat in the back. Michael had drawn his girlfriend into his arms and watched her while she happily dozed off, snuggling into his chest.

_You are my home. (Alexi Murdoch – Orange Sky)_

He directed his gaze out of the window, where the sun was beginning to set and had colored the sky orange. Despite the misery of their current situation, he couldn't help but marvel at life's beauty.

The car flew by, cutting through the landscape, through the seas of people who knew nothing of their troubles, and Michael could stay in this moment forever.He softly kissed Sara's hair and leaned his head against her, closing his eyes and letting sleep take him over.

-

The next thing he knew, the engine was being shut off, and the doors to the SUV opened and the front seaters stepped out. Looking out, Michael noticed that they were in fact, at a safe house. Well, he _supposed_ it was a safe house. It was really fancy, but looked strong.

He softly woke Sara, and smiled when she stretched in the car, the palm of her hand flat on the roof of the car. "Where – Where are we?"

Michael kissed her briefly. "Somewhere that has a bed."

"Hmm." She made little smacking sounds with her lips before pressing them to his. "Sounds good. Let's go find it."

They entered the house with their hands intertwined and walked over to where Lincoln was crushing his son.

Sara smiled. "Hey LJ."

Michael turned to her with questionmarks in his eyes. "How do you know LJ?"

"Oh!" She bit her lip. "Well, I just assumed that that's the only one who'd get such a big warm welcome from _that guy_ over there."

Why she didn't tell him she'd met LJ at Veronica's place? She didn't know. There were just to many reasons. Maybe it was because she didn't want to remind them of how LJ had had to hide with Veronica, charged with a murder he didn't commit. Maybe it was because of Veronica, who had been murdered. Or maybe it was because she didn't want to tell Michael how frightened she had been to seek out the attorneys and to be convinced. It had thrown her, that day.

LJ blinked twice, letting her know he wouldn't sell her out. She'd always liked the kid.

Sara yawned and hid her wide-open mouth with her hand, but couldn't help it when a little snort came out. She blushed. "Sorry."

"Uhm, Jane." Michael started. "I'm going to take this one to bed. Where can we sleep?"

Sara swatted him, but his grin never wavered. It was still there when Sara crawled into bed, twelve minutes later, and he slid in behind her, cuddling her close.

"Michael?"

"Hmm."

She turned her head, so she could see his face, and continued. "Shouldn't you be downstairs, discussing the game-plan?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. But er –" his mouth travelled lower and sent whispers to her ear. "I'd rather be here with you, instead."

She smiled. "That's sweet."

"I know."

Sara laughed. "You're an idiot."

"Hmm- Get some sleep."

She mumbled her goodnight, pressing her body to his, while his hand kept them together.

"Sweet dreams, Sara."

* * *

_So? What did you think...Let it snow, let it snow, let it... Hm. Leeet me know, let me know, let me know!_

_XO_


	15. Wake up call

**A/N : Hey-ya guys! How are you all? Well, here's another chapter, as always - let me know what you think!**

**Please?**

**XO**

* * *

Sara woke up. In a bed. She sat upright, looked around her, sensing Michael's absense from the bed and, deciding she hadn't had enough of the bed yet, spread her arms, the sheet sliding down her chest, and fell back down, her long hair falling into her face when the matress bounced her back up. From the corner of her mouth, she blew a stream of breath upwards, trying to move the locks blocking her view. It didn't work, thus _poor little Sara_ had to become active and use her hands.

She looked over to the clock and read 10 : 43. Michael was probably downstairs, discussing the gameplan with their 'allies'. So she had two options, she figured. Option a was to stay in the bed, feel the soft pillow underneath her head, squint her eyes in the soft ray of light shining through the not-quite-closed curtains and sleep some more. _Very tempting._ Option b was to get her ass out of bed and do something useful with herself, like say, kiss her boyfriend senseless in front of a whole bunch of people. _Hm._

Sara woke up. The clock had struck 12 and she figured that _now would be a time_ to move on to option b. Right? She'd slept enough to catch up for the last days and the weeks before that, always wondering, during many sleepless nights, where Michael was – if he was okay, if he ever thought about her, if he felt the way she did...She knew now. Now was the time to kiss him senseless.

_Good plan._

Standing up – oh so very slowly – she opened the curtains and peered outside. It was actually quite beautiful out. The high trees seemed to brush the sky and the soft autumn sun shed some light over the house. It walzed over Sara's face, and she closed her eyes, basking in it.

A soft, content sigh floated over her lips. _Better get dressed._

Unfortunately, all of her clothes still lay in the car, and Michael – darling as he was – had left her a note, saying he'd sent her clothes with Jane to get washed. She eyed the backpack next to the bed. Well, ''of course'' Michael had been smart enough to take his backpack with him last night. Shrugging, she walked over to it, rummaging through it. Triumphantically, she held up a blue shirt.

She supposed she could wear these sweats downstairs, I mean..it was just to get to the car and take out her things...The tanktop was the only obstacle. Buttoning the shirt, she softly crept down the stairs and her hand rested on the doorknob, before halting. It's not that she was scared to go outside alone, nah, she had every reason to believe that no one was there. But if she went outside without protection, she knew someone who'd be mad as hell.

-

Michael was in the kitchen, having a light lunch and talking to Jane and Lincoln, discussing the plan, when he heard a soft voice hesitantly call his name.

"Michael?"

He smiled. So she finally decided to get up, huh? Resting his sandwich on the side of his plate, he brushed his hands together to dispose of crumbs and smiled at the twosome. "Excuse me for a minute."

Moving to the hallway, he saw her standing there with her hand on the door, looking as cute as ever. He smiled, before walking over to her and pressing a light kiss to her lips. She touched his face. "Morning."

He chuckled. "Afternoon." She blushed, but he continued, "so,did you sleep well?"

She nodded, while he enveloped her in his arms. "Like a baby."

Michael rested his forhead against hers. "Did you need me?"

"Yes," she trailed her finger around his face. "Yes, Michael. I need you."

The she let out a small giggle. "And...I need to get to the car, and I know you'd kill me if I went alone '_without any protection' _" She frowned. "Although I think I can take care of myself just fi..."

She was cut off by his lips on hers. All of her 'I am quite strong enough' ranting was forgotten, as she lost herself in his kiss. A quiet moan escaped. She slowly broke away, to look into his tender eyes. He pressed another quick peck to her lips, and then, without a word, he held open the door for her and followed her outside.

Only to find out that he forgot the keys. Sighing, he took her hand and pulled her into the house. He left her there, behind a closed door, with an amused look on her face. "I'll be right back."

She gestured him to _'by all means, go ahead!'_ and he rolled his eyes, before walking into the kitchen and retrieving the keys from Jane and doing the process all over again.

-

Jane smiled at Lincoln. "You're brother seems happy."

He grinned. "He is. I've never seen him this happy before. In his whole life." He glanced over to the kitchendoor, that his little brother had only just disappeared through, and smiled, proudly. "It's weird, right? All this misery that we've been dealt, and my little brother is the happiest he's ever been."

"Love can do that."

His eyes, that had been sparkling with joy only seconds earlier, now shone with tears. "Yes," he said. "Love can do that."

She wanted to smack herself for being this inconsiderate. However, _love _is something no one should ever give up on, not even Lincoln Burrows, death row inmate. She had just pointed it out, right?

Not that she was one to preach. After all, it had been – how long? Five years? – since she had felt anything even remotely similar to 'love'. She'd known affection, she'd felt safe with a man, but love? Love didn't last too long for Jane.

She smirked. _Whatever._

* * *

Paul slowly opened the backdoor to the comfortable looking house and knew no one had heard him. After all, years of being a secret service agent and constantly breaking into people's houses had paid off. He grinned triumphantically, his ashen face briefly lighting up in the soft moonlight that shone in from the kitchenwindow.

His hands professionally skimmed the smooth surfaces, and – finding their mark, travelled under the tabletop, reaching to the wooden bar holding everything upright.

Taking the tape and placing it in his back pocket, he let out a breath. _So far, so good._

"Hey Mister?"

_So far, so bad._ Paul turned around and looked straight into the eyes of little Ben Tancredi, staring at him, wide-eyed and innocent, his small pajamas showing the bitter agent pictures of worlds where carebears ruled the world, and all was happy and good.

_Damn it, his hearing really wasn't what it used to be._

"What are you doing?"

_Flashback_

_Lincoln and Michael stood there, pressing their ears to the door and trying to hear anything, anything at all – of the discussion between the two sisters. Paul had tried too, but after a while he had shrugged and simply said "my hearing's not what it used to be", before moving further down the kitchen and 'pouring himself a drink'. His hand travelled under the tabletop and explored the structure. When he felt a big dent in the bar, he smiled and – reaching into his pocket – hid the sacred tape._

_Well, it would do._

* * *

_Well, what did you think? Pleaaase let me know!_

_XO_


	16. For P

**A/N : Hey, here's another chap...Hope you like it - please let me know? It's sort of Paul-centered, I think it explains a lot about him...Have written the next chapter, will post tomorrow!**

**XO**

* * *

"Mister?"

_"Daddy! Daddy, I'm going to tell mommy you said that!" The big brown eyes gazed up at him, a small frown on her beautiful face. He picked her up despite the little yelp she let out and pressed a little kiss to her cheek. "Daddy!"_

_"Don't tell mommy, 'kay?"_

_She giggled. "I am telling."_

_"Oh yeah? Tell Mr. Tickle, will ya?" He lay her down on the sofa and started to tickle her relentlessly._

He still heard her small giggles, now mixed with the little boy's questions. If he was any other agent, he'd probably kidnap the boy, maybe even kill. But he wasn't, and he couldn't.

"I'm a –" he stuttered, while the boy reached for the milk in the fridge.

"Mister, could you give me the milk, please?" He turned to Paul in the yellow light the fridge spread over the room, and the agent shook his head.

"Yeah, sure." Walking over to the fridge, he pulled out the milk and poured the little boy a glass. The small giggles in his head had been replaced with a warning voice, screaming 'get out! Get out! Get out!', and he realised he needed to speed things up now.

"Thank you." Ben placed the plastic cup to his mouth and drank it all in one large gulp, his small sleepy eyes still fixed on Paul. "So who are you, mister?"

Paul took a deep breath. "I'm a friend of your mommy, and I'm planning a surprise for her. But shh- you can never tell her you saw me, okay? Otherwise the surprise will be ruined!"

Ben clasped a hand over his mouth. "I won't tell, mister!" he said, through the small cracks his fingers allowed.

The agent winked at him. "Good boy.." before disappearing into the night.

-

He leaned against the while walls of his rented appartement, letting out a deep breath and fiddling the tape in the palm of his hand. He'd nearly been caught by the little boy, all could have been ruined.

Paul squeezed his eyes closed. _That small voice, those sweet giggles...Damn it._ He needed to make it through, for her. Walking over to his computer, he entered the stick that held the tape and copied it. If Kim thought he was going to give up this easily, he was dead wrong.

_Paul entered the now-familiar office, straightened his tie one last time and knocked on the glass door that said 'Bill Kim, supervisor'. Patiently, he waited until he was let in._

_"Paul. Sit down." The man's tone with him was professional. Bussiness-like. It was what Paul had always known, and expected, really. It made it all feel so – real._

_"Thank you, sir." Sitting down in the soft leather chair, he waited for the 'boss' to continue._

_"It has come to my attention that you have been looking for your missing daughter during workhours."_

_Damn it. Paul had been hoping that he wouldn't notice. "Sir, I-"_

_But Kim held up a hand to silence him. "You need look no more, Paul. We've found her."_

_The agent's whole face cleared up, and a huge smile broke out. "Where is she, is she okay? Is she - ?"_

_Once again, the hand silenced him. "She's fine, Paul."_

_He nodded relieved. "Where is she? When can I see her?"_

_"You can't.Not until you do some things for us."_

Oh, but he would, now.

* * *

Sara trashed in bed, mumbling his name over and over again. Immediately, Michael woke, pulling her into his arms.

"Sara."

She pushed against his chest. 'No, no, no, no'

"Sara! Sweetie, wake up, it's just a dream."

'Michael! NO!' She sobbed. 'please don't do this.'

Rocking her in his arms, he pressed kiss all over his face, gently shaking her. "Wake UP, Sara."

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she jumped from his arms and out of the bed, resting in front of the window. She silently stared up at the silver moon, and let out a soft sigh. Michael looked at her back, with a worried expression in his eyes.

"I'm fine, Michael." She croaked out, continuing to stare up at the night sky, trying to locate the big bear.

He sighed. "When you trash in bed and scream my name, I don't think it qualifies as fine. It's nowhere near fine, Sara."

She shrugged and turned to him. "I was screaming your name? Damn it, I was aiming for 'Lincoln!' "

He shook his head. "That's not funny."

She crawled over the mattress towards him. "It is, a little. Come on, Michael – please let this go?" Resting her head on his chest, she blinked sweetly, trying to persuade him into giving up.

Softly, he kissed her hair. "Just this once. Next time it happens, I'm not giving up so easily."

"Hmm." She purred. "You know I love you, right?" Reaching up, she granted him a soft kiss.

"I love you too. Now, get some sleep."

* * *

Paul confidently walked into the headquarters, and spotted just the guy he was looking for. "Jeremy!" He beckoned the poor little intern and he, like the good little lamb he was, came immediately.

"Yes, sir?" The boy shook, and Paul felt sort of bad. Sort of.

"Kim wants the address of a certain girl, who was once 'Natasha Kravecki', she might have changed her name. He says he wants it now, and he's not in a mood to be trifled with, so I suggest you get on it. NOW."

He smirked satisfied when the intern scurried off. Well, that was taken care of.

Pushing open the door to Kim's office (he wasn't the scared little agent anymore) he sat down in the leather chair and disconnected Kim's phone. His boss turned to him with an annoyed expression. "What do you want, Paul?"

Paul grinned. "I think this is about what _you_ want." He dangled the stick in front of Kim and threw it into his lap.

Kim smiled. "I trust you haven't made a copy of this?"

The agent shook his head. "Do you honestly think that Scofield and Burrows mean more to me than my own daughter?"

He shrugged. "You never know. People can't be trusted."

Paul laughed. "You've got that right."

* * *

_Please, tell me what you think? XO_


	17. Arms are for hugging

**A/N : Heyja! So, happy New Years everybody! I'd written this chapter yesterday, but I had this wicked plan to keep you all waiting...Tell me what you think, please?**

**I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter...But what do YOU think?**

**XO

* * *

LJ and Sara had gone for a walk, outside in the 'forest',while the _grownups_ talked bussiness. They were in the livingroom, and Michael sat in a green chair, his head hidden in his hands. Lincoln stared at him, worried out of his mind. Sure, he knew this was the only way, but er – it was too dangerous. And he knew a woman who'd agree with him.**

Eyeing the gun on the coffeetable, he couldn't help but wonder at the fact that it felt normal. It looked as if belonged there. Slowly, he shook his head.

"She's not going to like this."

Michael sighed and nodded, his hands still covering his face. "I know." Uncovering his eyes, he looked at his big brother for the affirmation he needed. "But it's the only way, right?"

Lincoln hesitated. _Was it?_ "I don't know, Michael." At the lost look his brother gave him, he softly continued. "I mean, what if they've already distroyed the tape? Then what are going there for – to get ourselves killed? It's a likely outcome, Mike."

Michael pushed the tears back. _Damn it._

_Flashback_

"_So," Jane ended her reasoning, "we go in there and get the tape. By force." She picked up the gun and threw it at Michael, who looked down at it. Amazing, how something so light could be so deadly._

_He hesitantly looked over at Lincoln, but he was looking at him for guidance. Michael nodded. "Okay. It's the only way, right?"_

_The woman nodded. "It's the only way to gain what was lost."_

_Lincoln bit the inside of his cheek. "Jane, I'd like to speak to my brother, please?"_

_She smiled softly. "Take all the time you need. I'm going to start lunch."_

"What else have we got? I mean, it's not like we have the law on our side. Vee's gone now, Lincoln.." he swallowed hard. "and there's nothing we can do about that now."

"You're right." Lincoln stood up abruptly and walked over to Michael, placing his hands on his brother's shoulders. "Vee's gone, Michael. I don't want to loose you too."

-

At lunch, the tension hung tick in the air and everybody noticed, except Sara and LJ, who had been chatting on and on about movies and puppies. Eventually, it was LJ who posed the dreaded question.

"So, how's the plan coming along?"

The brothers, who hadn't spoken a word to one another ever since Lincoln made his big statement in the livingroom, looked at eachother uneasily, then shifted their eyes around the room. Well, it wasn't suspicious at all.

Jane just smiled. "It's coming along... Now, who would like some more chicken?"

-

Paul walked over to Jeremy and smiled when the boy gave him an address. _Good boy. _"Nice, Jeremy! I'll see that Kim gets this."

Thank God for the fact that Kim hardly acknowledged the interns, and that they themselves were too damn frightened to even _look _at Kim.

It was an address in San Fransisco.

Roadtrip.

-

In the middle of the night, Sara opened her eyes to find an empty bed. When her hand travelled along Michael's side, she found it cold. He hadn't been sleeping here for a while now. Her curiosity (and her desperate craving for cookies) pushed her to go investigate so she slipped down the stairs as quietly as she could and wandered to the livingroom, where she heard a lot of commotion. Apparently, Michael wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping.

She gasped at what she saw. Michael, Lincoln, Jane and a couple of other men were trying out guns, aiming them at a random spot on the wall and pretending to pull the trigger, to see if it 'fit' them. She shivered involuntary, her arms filling with goosebumps. Even though the room was the warmest place in the house, her tanktop and sweatpants didn't suffice to keep her warm.

_So this was their plan?_

One of the unknown men spotted her standing in the doorway, a look of horror on her face. He shifted nervously and mumbled a 'Michael'. Michael lowered the gun and raised his eyebrows at the man. "What?" When the man kept silent, he followed his eyeline and looked straight at Sara. _Damn it._ He'd hoped she would have slept through the night. That way, he could have left her a note, like the coward he really was, and she could hold onto it until his return. Or – not return.

"Sara..." he began.

Sara pursed her lips together. "No." She said, looking at the guns, then shaking her head. "No." Turning around, she walked out of the room, leaving everyone standing there, stunned.

Michael was the first to react. He placed the gun on the coffeetable and hurriedly followed Sara, only to find out that he'd been just a tad too late. She was gone. Climbing the steps to their bedroom, he found it empty. "Sara?" Only silence answered him.

Walking back downstairs, he started searching the rooms, and eventually saw her through the kitchenwindow. She was standing on the patio, running her hands along her upperarms, trying to keep warm. His shoulders sagged a little. Michael bloody Scofield had hurt her, yet again.

The door squeaked when he pushed it open and fell back with a thud. Sara appeared not to notice. She kept on staring down the garden, watching shadows play on the trees. His hands were warm, as they circled her waist, and he lay his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

She huffed. "You're not doing it. The plan is as flawed as any plan can get. And chances are they distroyed the tape already. I will _not_ watch you walk into a trap, and never come out of it again."

He kissed her bare shoulder. "It's the only way."

Sara shook her head. "Bullshit."

She shook his arms off of her and disappeared into the house. Michael pressed his fists to his eyes, literally pushing back the tears. After a few minutes of composing himself, he continued back to the livingroom, where an unexpected sight greeted him.

Sara, _his _Sara, was standing on the spot he had left minutes ago, a gun trained in her hand. Professionally, she aimed it at the bookshelf and pretended to shoot a book. Smiling, she added to a random male helper. "I could never stand that book."

The ease with which she said it, angered him. He marched over to her and pulled the gun out of her hands. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She rolled her eyes. "What does it _look_ like I'm doing?"

"Well," he bit out, "You're looking like an idiot, so I think you should limit the options."

Sara smiled. "You know, for a smart man, you can be pretty stupid." Shooting another book, she added "I'm going with you."

He laughed bitterly. "No, you're not."

"Michael, don't tell me what to do."

Michael swallowed. "It's not safe."

She threw her hands up in despair. "There you are, doing it again! Michael, you're always treating me like I am something so precious and vulnerable, when I can _damn well_ take care of myself. Now," she smiled at Mr. Joe Nobody, "this will be _my_ gun. Nobody, and I repeat _nobody_ is to touch it." She looked at Michael. "Got it?" Michael looked away. "When do we leave?"

Jane spoke up. "In four hours. Which is why I think everybody should go to bed. We need a good night's sleep."

One by one, the men trailed out of the room. In the end, Sara was the only one left with Michael. "You can sleep on the couch."

-

Sara lay in bed, surpressing the tears and the sobs wrecking her body. It could be her last night alive, and she was spending it in the way too big bed without the person she loved. And over what? He was only trying to protect her!

Damn it, she could take care of herself. She had been doing it for years, before Michael showed up. Sure, it wasn't everyday that she was being drowned in a bath or bound to a chair and forced to kiss some filthy agent, but hey – her life wasn't exactly a fairytale.

But, it was about to become one. Maybe in a few years, maybe next week, she didn't know. The only thing she knew is that, if they survived tomorrow,her and Michael would live the life they had always dreamed of.

If they survived tomorrow. Her body shook once more, before she threw the covers off of her body and slipped down the stairs.

-

Michael was staring at the ceiling, the row he had with Sara repeating in his mind. He knew he treated her as if she was the most precious thing on earth,but that was only because to him, she _was. _He couldn't loose her – so he overprotected her.

And look what that resulted in. Now, she was coming with them, on the most dangerous mission of the whole conspiracy. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. _Oh Sara.._

"Michael?" His eyes snapped open at the soft whisper of his name. "Michael, are you awake?"

Her feet shuffled over the carpet, but when she didn't get a response, her eyes closed and she started walking to the stairs again.

"Wait."

His voice was soft – almost too soft to be heard, but she did. She heard it. She'd always heard him. Running over to the couch, she lay down next to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I'm sorry."

He ran his hand through her hair and shook his head. "No, _I'm_ sorry. It's just that I..."

"never want to let you go?" she finished for him. He nodded and she smiled. "It's the same for me, Michael. If I go off at you because of some crazy plan you have come up with, it's just because I'm so...I'm so scared that this is the thing that will make me loose you for good." A tear fell down her cheek, and he caught it with his lips.

"Do you remember...what I said when we met in Christine's house?"

Sara blinked. "You said I'd never loose you."

He hummed. "And I meant it. I promise you that you'll never loose me. Ever."

A passionate kiss sealed the deal, and Sara stopped doubting.

"Sweet dreams, Sara."

* * *

_Happy New Year!_

_XO_


	18. The execution of plans

**A/N : Hey guys, I'm back...On this first day of the new year, I'm adding another chapter to my story. I am so grateful for all the support you are giving me, and I hope you continue with it, by telling me how you feel about this chapter. Please?**

**XO**

* * *

Jane wandered down towards the front door.It was forty minutes before she'd told everyone to get up, and she liked it that way. She needed a little time to compose herself. Jane _may_ be a tough ass woman to the world, inside of her was an insecure girl who was scared to death of the next danger that was being thrown her way. So she ran. She pulled the laces to her shoes tightly, put her hair in a neat bun, and ran through the woods.

Aldo had always called her reckless. He'd always said that she took risks that needn't be taken. Now, no one told her those things anymore.

She shook her head. He'd left her his two sons to take care of. _Speaking of..._ Slowly, Jane walked over to the livingroom, where she'd heard Sara tell Michael to sleep.

_Sara Tancredi._ She felt a great ammount of admiration for the woman. Not every woman could make it through the things she'd had to endure, and then get out of it unharmed. And not every woman would walk into a room full of armed people after having a row with her boyfriend, only to pick up a gun and declare to come with him on a deadly mission. The woman had guts.

Standing in the doorway, Jane leaned against the slid-open door and looked at the couple, laying together on the sofa, faces turned towards eachother and Michael's arm holding Sara close to him, his other hand tangled in her hair. It was so...beautiful, and tender, that it made Jane choke up.

"They look cute, huh?"

Jane spun around to see Lincoln hovering over her shoulder. An immediate sense of calm washed over her, and she quietly pressed a finger to her lip to motion him to silence, before lightly pushing him backwards, so that they could talk.

"They do." She said, when it was safe enough to talk. "They're lucky to have eachother."

He grinned. "Even if they _do_ behave like fools around eachother. Take last night for example : Michael obviously wanted to protect Sara from hurt by not telling her and wanted her possibly last image of him to be beautiful, and Sara doesn't want Michael to smother her. She wants to show him that she is an independent woman and doesn't only want herself to be safe, but wants _him _safe and sound as well. Thus, she wants to protect him too, by – " he motioned around them, "jumping into this whole thing and fighting for the both of them."

He rolled his eyes, but Jane lightly hit him. "I think it's sweet. Dangerous – but sweet."

Lincoln smiled and for a minute, she got lost in his eyes. Her body suddenly stood _way too close _to his and the heat radiating between the both of them was scorching her. Lincoln too, noticed this, and he quickly cleared his throat. "So, you were going for a run?"

She nodded. "I _was._ I'm always a bit nervous at the beginning of missions like these, but er – now, it seems I'm not." A small smile slid out. "Not anymore."

His eyebrow raised. "Then what's different then the last time?"

_You.This time you're here._

Their eyes briefly skimmed eachother, before she turned away and shrugged. "Beats me."

-

"Sara."

Her eyelids fluttered open and Michael's chrystal orbs plunged down into her soul. "It's time."

She nodded. "Alright." Trying to sit up again, she suddenly felt Michael's arm block her movement and a gently push landed her right back from where she had risen. Her eyes searched his for an explanation, any at all. She looked for answers, and saw only one. Love.

"Please." He kissed her eyelids closed again and let his breath travel the surface of her face. "Please stay."

Sara swallowed. "Michael, you know that I-"

"I know," his hands rested in her neck and her pressed his thumbs upwards, lifting her skin and telling her to look at him. "I know, okay. But I...I need you to be here, because _even though_.." he silenced her forthcoming cry of protest, "I know that you can handle yourself, if I know you're there, I won't be able to protect myself. Sara, I just," he softly kissed her lips, "I just can think straight when I'm around you."

She smiled and rested her forhead against his. "You have a way with words, Mr. Scofield."

He grinned. "I always try to _eufemism_ the truth."

Her lips suddenly pushed against his hurriedly, and she was sucking in breath, rapidly through her nose. The sound of their breathing was sharp and needy, the taste of their kiss was passionate and loving.

Sara regretfully distanced herself from him and gave him a reassuring smile, before standing up and walking to the kitchen to pour herself some coffee. Words didn't need to be spoken : he knew she'd heard and answered his plea and she knew he would do everything he could to return to her safely.

"Morning." She smiled at Jane and Lincoln, cutting through the thick tension in the room. She'd have to grill them later. "Jane, could I speak to you for a minute?" Jane nodded and walked ahead of Sara, onto the patio. Sara looked back over her shoulder one last time, to give poor Burrows something to do. "Oh, Lincoln, Michael's up, if you want to talk to him or something. Act brotherly." She laughed quietly and joined Jane out on the patio.

"Listen," Sara took a deep breath and stared at the small puff of air, disappearing into the early morning air. "Despite what I said – or... yelled last night," she gave Jane a guilty smile, "I er – I won't be joining you, today. But I need you to leave me the gun, and to give me directions to where you're going to be, so that, should anything..., so that I know how to reach you."

The other woman nodded, and Sara continued, staring straight in front of her, "and I need you to keep the brothers safe, if you can. I need _you_ to be safe too. I just...Be careful, please."

Without so much as looking at her new friend, Sara spun around and disappeared into the house, opened the fridge and made herself a sandwich.

-

Michael stood in the livingroom, talking to one of the 'suits' about the plan, and how they were going to make their _grand entrance_, and thought back to the moment they'd woken up. He had never felt more relieved than at the moment Sara had told him – well, not so much _told_ him – that she wasn't going with them on this mission.

A warm feeling crept up his spine, telling him she was looking in his direction, and without breaking the conversation, he turned his head sideways and smiled at her. Her eyes, even though they were far away, told him everything she wanted. _For him to come back safely._

In his smile, she saw the reassurance she needed so badly.

And when half an hour later his arms locked around her and his lips sought out her own, they both felt that they would make it.

"Be careful, Michael." She pleaded him, her voice small and broken.

He pressed his lips to her forehead, and she could feel the mouths turn up in a soft smile. "I will."

* * *

Three hours later. 9. 43 am Chicago, Illinois

The streets were crowded with people who knew nothing of the dangers the group in the van was about to face. They just walked on, next to eachother, oblivious to other's pain and suffering, and the only question on their minds was how to get through the day without a migraine.

Michael flinched when they passed a streetlight with a 'Missing person'poster on it. Sara's face smiled back at him, and underneath her collarbones were the words _have you seen this woman_, printed in bold.

Was this the last time he'd see her face?

_No._He told himself._This time tomorrow, you'll be holding her, never letting go.

* * *

_

Meanwhile, 7. 32 the hideout, Ballwin

LJ flipped on the sofa, next to Sara."So, they've gone huh? The plan's being _executed_, pardon the expression?"

Sara nodded sadly. "Yep."

"And we're stuck here?"

"Yep."

LJ sighed. "Well, might as well see how the world's holding up without us, right?" He took the remote and pressed the button. The tv switched on immediately, showing them some stiff guy in a stiff suit, talking of a world, and problems, that he knew nothing about.

_"Next, there has been a major breakthrough in the Scofield/Burrows case. The CIA spread at 2 am this morning, a recording of a phonecall of presumed dead Terrence Steadman. Steadman speaks to an anonymous person and in his conversation mentions the exact date and time – a moment in which he should have been dead, according to the ministery of Justice._

_This might proove to lead to the innocence of death row inmate and newly escapee Lincoln Burrows, who broke away from the police a short week ago with his brother, Michael Scofield. More news on this later. "_

"Oh my God." Sara clasped a hand in front of her mouth, ignoring LJ, who was happily clapping on next to her. She caught his arms and pushed them down. "LJ, your father didn't do this."

The boy tilted his head. "But the plan...and now the tape..."

"LJ, the tape was released around 2 am. The plan was set in motion at 6." She shook her head, while her words from the night repeated in her head. _I will not watch you walk into a trap and never come out of it again._

She needed to do something to stop them from bursting into that office. And she needed to act soon.

* * *

_So, what did you think? Please tell me!_

_XO_


	19. The fall and finding

**A/N : Hi! Thanks so much for reviewing...Please continue to do so and tell me what you think of this chapter...**

**XO

* * *

8.56 am The Safe House, Ballwin**

_On the way home, this car hears my confessions_

_I think tonight I'll take the long way_

_ - Dashboard Confessional, The sharp hint of new tears_

"You want to be mad at me, LJ? Well, you just go ahead and be mad – I don't care." Her arms swung around her body through the wide explaining gestures she was making, and her body shook. They were losing time they couldn't afford to loose. "You are still a minor and you are _not_ handling a weapon. So either you stay here and sulk, or you can come with me and promise that when I move in, you stay back and wait for your father, alongside Kerry here. I will be waiting in the car for five minutes. It's up to you."

Sara turned her back towards him and marched to the car, flinging the door open and seating herself in the driver's seat. Opening the cupboard, she carefully placed the gun on a stack of roadmaps, and attached the directions to the inside of her sunshield.Her fingers tapped a steady rhythm on the dashboard. Three minutes later, LJ stepped into the backseat and smiled shyly at her. Sara sighed. _Men..._

One by one, the agents filed into the car. There were three of them, two flanking a suddenly very small looking LJ.Phil (yes, she'd _bothered with names_) came to sit beside her and gave her a small nod.

The engine roared to life and they silently sped through the landscapes. Until the silence became unbearable and Sara turned on the radio, to soothe the ache. The sounds of some soft rock station filled the car and the breathing became easier, somehow. The air was lighter.

They didn't think of the bad things anymore, like the fact that even though Jane's cellphone was practically one of her limbs, their call had gone unanswered. Or the everticking clock that counted down the minutes and seconds that they could be of worth to the _alfa-team._ Sara forgot that she was the group's Jane, even though she hadn't fiddled with a gun before yesterday. It didn't matter. The music didn't care.

10 am Chicago, Illinois. The headquarters

_Well they were surprised, that's for sure._ The headquarters of bad guys always seem less threatening, taken by surprise. Even though the killers looked as cold and unfeeling as ever, Michael could tell their shock by the small things, like a scraping of a finger over smooth skin, or a blinking of an eye for the third time in less seconds.

"Where's your boss – _Kim_." Lincoln spit the name out with as much disdain as humanly possible, while Michael stood unmoving, his gun trained on that disgusting Londain-person, who'd forced Sara into a kiss and would have forced her into much more, had Paul – with his apparent small Saracrush – not stopped him. _But Paul was just as bad._

Londain smiled at Lincoln. "Try his office." His icy blue eyes connected with Michael. "Well, hello, Michael. How's your pretty lady?"

Michael cocked the gun, never breaking Londain's stare. "Don't even think about talking about her."

His opponent smiled. "Oh, come on Michael – we both know you're no killer. Besides, then you're whole _I'm innocent_-act would just fly out the window. Do you have any idea how much time you do for murder?"

Michael's face was devoid of any emotion, and it made him...superior. Scary. "I don't think the judge would blame me."

"Maybe...maybe not. I _do_ however, think she would wonder on why you're doing this _now_- frankly, I'm curious myself. The evidence is all over the country...and _now_ you attack us?" He laughed. "Isn't that moronic?"

"Wait..." Jane suddenly yelled across the room, that had gone silent during the Michael/Marcus staredown, "what do you mean, _the evidence is all over the country_?"

"Apparently, Marcus," Kim entered the room with his whole posse of bodyguards behind him, their guns trained on the _attackers_, "these people honestly don't know what you're talking about." He circled the room, and each time he passed one of _these people_, he nodded to a bodyguard, who then 'gently extracted' the gun and bound the owner.

"Dear guests," he clapped his hands together, "I am so very proud that I may be the one to inform you that, before you stormed this building of course, the evidence of Terrence Steadman's non-death had been given to the CIA by none other than our...mutual friend, Paul Kellerman." He smirked. "It's all over the news."

Michael cursed himself. They knew this could happen. Damn it, _NO, they did not know this could happen._ The expectations had been a : we get the tape by force, ending in victory and such, or b: they've already burned the tape...and we die. That had been it. No option c. No : Paul Kellerman was good after all, and we make idiots of ourselves..and we..

_Sara._ He supposed that it was normal that at life-threatening moments like these, her face was the one that appeared in front of his eyes. _Sara was safe._ Michael doesn't want to imagine what would have happened had she come with them, had she and Londain crossed paths again. _He would probably never see Sara again._

"Now," Kim continued. "My servants will show you to your quarters. I hope you will enjoy your stay!" He laughed, then nodded towards his bodyguards. "You know where to take them. Go."

-

Lincoln stared up at the ceiling of his 'cage' and couldn't help but smile at the fact that this felt very much like _home_ to him. For years, and years, he'd lived on death row, and this bloody space looked just like it...Only filthier.

And there was no ray of sunshine here, to remind him of Veronica's sweet smile. Instead, there was a small crack underneath the door, shining even the smallest of light.

Jane.

Jane, and this morning's encounter, where – for the first time in a long time, he'd felt something. Something real.

He sadly shook his head. Something that would never be – unless salvation came. Unless salvation came really soon.

-

There was nothing that he could use. No pins from an iron bed, no locks that he could force open, or walls he could break down.

Which told him one thing : Bill Kim knew his opponent and his weaknesses.Which meant he knew of Sara.And that thought scared Michael.

"_Thank you for trying to make me smile. Not today."_

He closed his eyes – and found that time has no essence in a place like this. He hadn't known if it had been three minutes before the door opened, or three hours. What he did know, is that he was confused as hell.

"Come on." Before him, crouched down, was the one person he was afraid he'd never see again. "Come _on._" She urged him. "Grab my hand."

Their hands and lips connected, and they embraced amidst the chaos.

* * *

_So, this was Michael's side of the events...I'll tell you aaall about how Sara found them...But that, is a story for tomorrow, if you decide to review..._

_XO_


	20. The Rescue Blues

**A/N : Hey guys! Well, as promised- the way Sara rescued her love. I'm sorry to be updating at this hour (it's the middle of the night over here) but I just finished writing.**

**Please tell me what you think?**

**XO

* * *

**

10. 54 am – the headquarters, Chicago, Illinois

_All this feels strange and untrue, and I won't waste a minute without you. (Snow Patrol - Open your eyes)_

She shut off the engine and looked at her passengers. "Are we all ready?"

They nodded, holding up the guns that had been silently resting in the laps a few seconds before. Sara smirked, pulled out her own gun and unbuckled. "LJ, Kerry'll stick with you, alright? I'll be back before you know it, don't worry." The boy nodded and swallowed hard. Poor kid must be scared out of his wits.

She was too.

The whole group stepped out of the car and blinked up into the heavy sunlight, blinding them momentarily. The headquarters looked like a normal enough building, where normal enough people worked. She saw them, walking in in their almost too neat suits and watched them rearrange their ties or hairdo before stepping through the glass doors. Her teeth gritted together as she noticed one of them, licking his lips and smiling at random female co-workers.

Whipping her head around, she spoke to her team. "We're going after him."

Phil nodded. "How?"

_How was she supposed to know?_ Sara bit her lip. "We wait until he gets to his car. I'll distract him for a while, then you guys corner him. We _don't_ shoot him, you hear me?" She rolled her eyes heavily and sighed. "We need this scumbag."

She knew his car. She'd seen it, parked outside of her sister's door, through Kellerman's legs when he'd blocked the doorway. I was the stereotype car a man like Londain would drive. _Big, shiny...and a fucking monstrosity._

When he arrived, he found her leaning against the passengerdoor, and had the nerve to smile. "Well, Sara, I was wondering when you'd arrive." Sniffing the air, he raised his eyebrow at her. "Where's the cavalary?"

She shook her head, seductively swinging her hair. "I'm on my own now, since the team felt it _necessary for me to wait in the car. _" She rolled her eyes. "As if I couldn't damn well take care of my own."

He moved closer to her, his perfume walming into her nostrils. She despised the odor, reminding her of the time in her sister's house, when a foreign mouth had attacked hers and Michael's voice had helplessy called for her. She suppressed a shiver when he reached out his hand and trailed it through her hair. Was he surprised when, instead of swooning, Sara pushed the cold metal against his belly? He might have been, but his demeanor never changed. "Sara," he clucked his tongue, "don't do that."

Suddenly, he heard the sharp clicks of cocking guns behind him. "You know the drill, Londain. Step away from the girl and keep your big mouth shut."

Londain took a step away from Sara, releasing the hold he'd had on her with his hand over hers on the gun, and put his hands up in the air. Sara looked around her and, seeing the parking lot entirely empty and deserted, smacked her hand across his face. Her voice came next to his ear. "I despise scumbags like you, who think they can fuck the world time and time again."

He smiled. "Sweetheart, someone's gotta do it."

Sara blinked in Greg's direction and he placed the gun right next to Londain's neck. She grinned. "Marcus, I'm sure that at some point in life, you took bio. Now, in that case you'd know that if my friend's finger should slip, a bullet would hit your main artery and kill you instantly." She twirled around like a little balletdancer and pliéed right in front of her prisoner. "To prevent that _tragic event _from happening, you're going to have to answer some questions for me – am I making myself clear?" Her eyebrows were furrowed together, and the playfulness which she'd used before, had made way for determination...and threatening.

Marcus didn't give up. "Ms. Tancredi, you're a doctor..._MD_. You couldn't hurt a fly if you wanted to, nor give the order to do it."

Her eyes turned to small slits. "Keep Michael from me – and there's nothing I won't do."

He nodded. "I admire your faith. Then.."he battered his eyelashes, "_it really is true love._"

Phil poked the gun into Londain's back..three times. "Let's cut this shit. You're going to tell us where they are, NOW."

"Better yet," Sara smiled. "He'll _show us._"

-

12.02 pm Somewhere near the headquarters, Chicago, Illinois

"This is it." He was bound in shackles, sitting in the trunk, leaning over the backseat. Every once in a while,when he leaned just an inch too far, Kerry would push him back and snort.

"If we find out you've been screwing with us..." Greg's low voice threatened, echoing through the car.

Londain tried to fold his hands behind his head in a leisurely way, but the shackles made it...rather difficult. "Hey!I have _nothing _to loose or gain, right. Besides, I would love _nothing more _than to give _true love a chance..._"

Sara felt like barfing, but instead, she choose to ignore his comment and stepped out of the car. "Let's go. We can't afford to lose any more time."

The three stepped out again, and – with doubts, but courage none the less, walked through the opening that was probably supposed to be the door. It looked like a house in construction, with plastic foil covering every available surface, from 'window' to 'door', 'sofa' to 'table'. Sara tiptoed around the rooms, making no noise at all, her gun held up and travelling with her gaze.

_Come on, Michael, where are you?_

A movement caught her eye, and she looked behind her, motioning her guards to stand still. She poked her head around the corner carefully and smiled when she saw a sleeping guard brush his nose with his finger unconsciously. But Sara was no fool, and she wouldn't take any risks.

The dart flew through the room and landed in the officer's neck a millisecond later. He opened his eyes in shock before hurriedly closing them again. Sara grinned. _Thank God for anestheasia._

Walking over to the unconscious man, she grabbed his keys from him and looked at the 7 identical doors in front of her.

_"The doors can only be opened from the outside."_Londain had said. _"And they're designed specifically so that wits like your precious Michael couldn't find their way out."_

Sara crouched down to the floor (what idiot put the keyhole six inches from the ground) and turned the key. She slowly opened the door and saw Michael sitting there, his head hidden in his hands, with only the darkness surrounding him. His eyes widened when he saw her sitting in front of him. A surprised Michael often means a slow Michael – so she she decided to motivate him a little.

"Come on." She told him. "Come _on._ Grab my hand."

She smiled at his words tumbling out of her mouth and pulled him close to her, when he'd finally gotten the hint.

Their hands and lips connected, and they embraced amidst the chaos.

* * *

_So? What did you think?_

_XO_


	21. Talkie Walkie

**A/N : Yes, I know I haven't been updating for some time, and I am truly, truly sorry...I hope you like this chapter better than the previous one. Please tell me...I know I am unworthy!!!**

**But...please?**

**XO **

PS : I promise a lot of MiSa fluff is on its way!!

* * *

"Come on." She whispered, after having composed herself to sanity again. She might have found Michael, but they weren't out yet. No...they weren't out yet.

They shuffled over the floor to the other side of the room, where they hid, their breaths catching. Sara glimpsed towards her side and saw Phil and Greg with their protegés. _Thank God._ She nodded briefly towards them and they nodded back. Sara held up the two guns (she'd stolen the guard's gun – you never know when one might come in useful) and cocked them professionally.

Michael didn't know what he was seeing. Sara was behaving so damn professionally and so damn...sexy. He never knew a woman could look this enticing while holding guns, but let me tell you_...whoa_. He should make her take control more often. "Sara?"

She licked her lips absentmindedly and then turned to him. Michael saw her glinstening lips and groaned. Sara immediately dropped her guns and had her hand on his skin immediately. "Michael! Are you hurt?" He smiled at her protectiveness and slowly shook his head.

"I'm fine." He pressed a silent kiss to her lips and tugged softly at her bottomlip.

She laughed. "Honey, you're distracting me." Reluctantly, she pulled away and patted his cheek. "Now, be a good boy and go play with your toys or something."

He raised his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes. "Not _those_ toys."

"Well," he protested, "then at least will you gi-?"

Sara handed him the gun without even so much as looking at him. "_Now_ will you shut up?"

He nodded sweetly. "Yes, ma'am."

With another nod at the others, Sara went first, her feet retracing the steps she'd taken only minutes before, the plastic underneath her not making any sound. Which is more than she can say for the rest of the idiots that followed her. She had to keep herself from _shushing_ her crew and somehow found the restraint. The guard (she'd named him Droopy) was still sleeping peacefully, so no problems there.

"_Will – come in, Will."_

Sara stopped short and her eyes widened. Droopy's walkietalkie was doing its talkie-thing. She walked over to the sleeping body and pulled the thing from its restingplace. She shivered when she accidentally touched his crotch. That was the _last_ thing she wanted to be doing now.

_"William Patrick Ferguson – wake up from your dream, you lazy git and answer this. Don't make me come over there."_

Sara threw the thing at Greg and gave him a wink. He knew what to do.

She heard him sigh and smack his mouth. "What now?"

Sara frowned. No, that wasn't going to do it at all. Spotting a sandwich on the table, she handed it to Greg, who thanked her and pushed some cheese into his mouth.

_"Are you okay, man? You sound a bit different."_

"I'm ea_sh_ing. And you_ v_oke me u_ff_." He swallowed a whole crop down his throat and gave a loud burp, evoking groans from everyone in the room after he'd released the red button. "What?" he defended himself, "I'm just playing the part, you know."

"_Right..."_the other person huffed. _"Well, I'll let you get back to the really important stuff. How are the prisoners?"_

"They're _fw_ine.Now lea_f_ me alo_wne_." He grinned a final time before throwing the thing back at Sara, who placed it on the table, then held her hand back again. Greg furrowed his brow. "What exactly is it you're waiting for, Sara?"

She smiled cheekily. "The sandwich."

Lincoln laughed. "Come on Sara, it's not as if the thing will be missed."

"I. Don't.Care. Lincoln." Her eyes held a twinkle in them and Michael smiled. He loved everything about her, even her playful stubbornness at times.

"I'd better do as she says, Gregory. You don't want to meet her fury." He kissed her cheeck and she turned to him before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Thank you, darling."

Greg looked longingly at the sandwich before handing it to Sara. "You damn sandwich-nazi."

Sara laughed. "Michael – you want a bite?"

He winked at her. "Don't mind if I do..." Michael took a big bite, then turned the sandwich around and gave her a taste. She tasted it, smiled, and then put the sandwich back on the table.

"Come on guys, we need to go."

She walked to the door, pushed the plastic foil to the side and stepped out, her gun drawn. The young woman standing in front of her nearly fainted at the sight. Her eyes, round like saucers, nearly drowned in tears. "Don't..." she whispered. "Please..."

Sara took the gun out of her face and gave the woman a slight smile. She was dressed in a simple skirt and t-shirt. Wearing a wedding-ring similar to the one Droopy over there was wearing, she prooved to be his wife, bringing him his lunchables. "I assume you're Droo – I mean, Will's wife?"

The woman nodded. "I was..." her voice shook and Sara rested a sympathetic hand on her arm to calm her down. "It's okay," Sara reassured her, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Meanwhile, the rest of the group had gathered behind her, and the wife's eyes were travelling over the various faces and – more importantly, various guns. Sara turned the woman's eyes back to her and smiled. "I just came to bring him his lunch."

Sara nodded. "Listen," she said, her voice calm and soothing, "I don't mean to scare you – we _have_ drugged your husband."

She clasped a hand over her mouth in fear, but nevertheless, she nodded understandingly.

"But I just need you to understand one thing – we are the good guys. If we were bad, we would have killed him." Michael looked at her in shock. That was an awfully cold thing to say, wasn't it?

But the guard's wife nodded once again. "I a – I keep on telling him to get another job."

"After today, he will." Sara moved past the woman and tilted her head to the side to motion everyone to move. Which they did, thank heavens...

"Dr. Tancredi?" Sara moved her head back and looked at the woman. _She hadn't been called Dr. Tancredi in quite some time now. _" Thank you."

A quick nod and a smile were used for a goodbye, as Sara rushed off in the direction of the car. She had never been more happy than when she sat down in the SUV, told Michael to buckle up and rested her head on his chest. He lovingly kissed the top of her head and tucked a strand behind her ear. "You were amazing out there."

"Aww..._True love is such a beautiful thing._"

Sara sighed. Way to spoil the beautiful moment, Lond-ass.

Oh nuggets.

She'd forgotten to tell Michael about that.

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_Please tell me what you think? Even though I am unworthy, I need your reviews to fuel me into writing the next chapter...Pleaaase?_

_XO_


	22. Amazone

**A/N : Hey-fa! Hope you're all doing okay? Thanks so much for the reviews you've left me, I don't know what I would be without you.**

**Now, please tell me what you think of this chapter? Please?**

**XO**

**

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**Sara rolled her eyes. "Jesus, would you shut up?" 

Londain chuckled and gave a bright grin. "See, Michael – I told you she'd find me."

She huffed. "If you think, even for a second, that I came to you for _you_, you're even more dim than I thought you were. I-" she laughed, "I thought the gun against your stomach would've given you a little hint, not?" Sara hadn't made eyecontact with Londain since he had started speaking and neither had Michael. He stared straight ahead, while Sara studied her boyfriend's bodylanguage.

Smirking, she discovered that although his touch of hand was light and tender, his other hand, that wasn't connected with her in any way, was clenched to a tight fist. Her unoccupied fingers trailed to it and slowly unwound the fingers and treading them through hers. Now, they had made kind of an eightshaped arm-embrace and he slowly smiled at her. In her eyes, he found the calm he needed so badly to regain his balance.

It was weird, but before Sara, Michael had been a live and let live kind of guy. With Marcus...and Paul, he found out that he would be capable of anything to protect her. Her lips quietly connected with his in the next few moments, and for some unknown reason, it shut Londain up. Michael grinned, not dwelling on the why's anymore...only focusing on her.

He, as well as she, had known before this whole mission that today would be the most important day of all and that it would open up a door...to something. Something grand. Michael pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

Sara smiled and his whole world cleared up. He didn't know how he'd gotten along without her in the past, but one thing he knew for sure, was that he couldn't live without her now.

Michael grinned. _I mean, seriously,_ he thought, _how many women would come rescue their convicted boyfriends who have just walked – ran, into the most dangerous situation of his life?_ He thought of her as an amazone, riding into the sun with a shiny rifle in her hand, shouting up into the clear morning sky how much she loved. Loved him, loved life, whatever. She would have this golden aura of love surrounding her, and it would be the most amazing sight to see.

"Michael," she whispered, never lifting her head off of his chest. "Penny for you thoughts?"

Michael shook his head. "My thoughts are worth a zillion pennies, so your not getting off with just a little one. No ma'am – there should be some pleading involved, or some begging." He nodded. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Sara quickly pressed her lips to his, drawing him in for a long and tender kiss. When she pulled back, her sparkling eyes connected with his and she kinked her eyebrow sweetly. "How was that for payment, Mr. Scofield?"

He squeezed his eyes close, pretended to think really hard and then sighed. "I'm sorry, miss, but if that's all you can do, then I'm afraid we can't provide the services you recuire."

She hit him in the arm and he laughed. Then she pursed her lips a little and winked at him, sending him her silent thoughts. _I can do better than that..._Simultaneously, they turned around to stare at their 'unwanted' passanger, as if to see what could be done without him knowing. They were kind of surprised though, when they saw him lying out cold on the bottom of the trunk, with his shackled arm raised up in the air (the shackles were at eyelevel). Looking around the car to find the cause of this wonderful, but weird situation. Kerry cheekily smiled at them. "Thank God for anastheasia."

The car erupted in laughter, before the other passangers decided to grant the recently reunited couple some privacy. Kerry faced the window, yawned and fell into a _deep, deep sleep,_ while the frontseaters concentrated on the road and made small talk amongst themselves. After all, it was only 'Sara's crew', her boyfriend and her prisoner who used this car. The van with Jane, Lincoln, LJ and some other suits followed them on a safe distance.

Michael suggestively wiggled his eyebrows at Sara, and she purred before grabbing him around the neck and pulling him into her – as if she wanted the eat him. And let me tell you...Michael had no objections whatsoever.

They were beginning to get lost in each other. Eyes closed, lips locked and hands travelling over eachother's body, it was heaven that they felt against their closed eyelids.

Until Michael suddenly felt her being pulled away. Her lips were thrown off of his and her hands, desperate to cling to something...anything Michael, were being sent away, flying through the vehicle and through the glass splinters of the broken windshield. He was sure that he'd heard her whisper his name before everything went black.

It was mere seconds before he woke up, he knew. Something in him had been alarmed, something in him was screaming to wake up – for her, for Sara. She needed him. Even in this dark slumber he could clearly remember the seconds before, in which his eyes had torn open to see the fear in her beautiful features.

Ignoring the ache in his upperarm, he fumbled with his seatbelt and threw the door open. A dry tear ran down his cheeks. _Why had she sat in the middle?_ The shards of glass lay all around him and he was grateful for shoes. Grateful...until he saw her.

Her hair was splayed over the cement and red cuts made her head a colourful portrait, in shrill contrast to the white ashen canvas of her face. Closed eyes and a slightly open mouth. _Her eyes were closed._

He didn't know wether to thank that fact, or curse it. In her auburn orbs, he knew that he would have seen her feelings but if there was any chance that they would be lifeless, than it would all be final. It would all be real.Now, with eyes closed, there was still hope.

There were people starting to run out, run towards them, towards her and him, but he didn't notice. All that he knew, saw and registered was his frantic searching for her pulse and his murmurs, shaped like her beautiful name.

"Sara."

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_I want so much to open your eyes, 'cause I need you to look into mine. (Snow Patrol)_

_

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So? What did you guys think? Please let me know!_

XO


	23. Lottery

**A/N : Hey guys! I'm back again, with the next chapter o/t story. I am so happy that after all this chapters, you're still telling me that I'm not disappointing you. Thanks! **

**Please tell me if that's still the case?**

**XO**

**

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**_Come rest your tired body in my arms. (Damien Jurado)

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_A sob wrecked his body as he held her body close, and he chose to ignore all the hands and figures that were trying to pry her away from him. He didn't know wether she was still alive. But then...then he heard her shallow breathing and felt her pult beat against his fingers. 

Hearing voices shout to have 911 called, he begged them to hurry. _Hurry, hurry...be here soon._

"Michael." Lincoln's voice broke through the haze of unfamiliarity and Michael blinked for the first time in minutes. His brother sighed, knowing that he had made a connection. There were plenty times in their youth that Michael went inside his own world and that nothing and no one could pull him out of it. He shook his head slowly. Sara would know what to do, better than he would. The length of the bond doesn't really matter – it is the strength of it that's important. "Michael – we need to get her to a hospital."

Michael looked broken, his face twisted in pain and stained with cheeks. He didn't answer.

Until he said, his voice silent and weak, "I know."

"Please, Michael," Jane spoke up – but Lincoln silenced her with a finger to her lips. _He _was the one who should be doing all of this...any other voice, and especially a woman's voice...would scare Michael back into numbness.

"Mike, we need you to let go of her so that she can breathe." Lincoln debated his next words, but spoke them anyway. "If you keep holding tight to her like that, you might make it difficult for her to breathe. Don't hurt her, Michael." The younger man's eyes snapped open wide and he slowly let go of her body a little, lifted her up in his arms and gently carried her over to the car, where he lay her down on the blanket they'd thrown over the backseat that had been cleared of glass. He bent down next to her and kept on brushing her hair with his fingers.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to go."

His frightened, yet determined eyes connected with Lincoln's, before he shook his head. "I'm not leaving her."

His older brother sighed. "Just think about what Sara would want, Michael. Either you go with her and they'll question you for hours, without letting you see her." He let his words sink in for a few seconds. "Or, you could come with us, Jane will call you ever 10 minutes and you can sneak in later."

Michael bit the inside of his cheek. He knew Linc was right. And he could almost hear Sara's voice whispering her agreement. He nodded once and pressed a kiss to Sara's hair. "I love you." He said to her. "Don't leave me."

Telling Jane that he'd be in touch a few minutes later, he hopped into the van and they sped away in the other direction. Away from car wrecks and doctors fighting for their lives.

* * *

Jane gave a grim smile when the ambulance pulled up next to them a few minutes later. At least they came as quickly as they could. The others only had minor injuries, apart from Londain, who hadn't made it through the crash. No one grieved for him. They'd uncuffed him with straight faces and had dropped him on the ground next to the vehicle. 

Jane watched as they placed Sara onto a carrier and loaded her in the back. She never let the woman out of her side, not for one second. Climbing with her, she sat on the small bench next to the nurses. They gave her reassuring looks that should tell her, she supposed, that everything would be okay. But Jane had stopped trusting people and their facial expressions a long time ago.

She told them the story of how Sara was a friend of hers and that they'd met up only yesterday, when she'd come for a visit from her grandparents' house in Oklahoma. She shed a tear "Do you mind if I call them? I really need to talk to them about all of this."

They nodded, and as soon as she pulled out her cellphone, they told her to tuck it away again, for fear of disturbing the small machine that was helping her best friend to breathe. _Her best friend..._Jane blinked a few times and tilted her head, gazing at Sara's unconscious form and she smiled a little. Sara was the closest thing to a best friend she had. They'd share loads of things in the future, she could feel it.

"In fact," the nurse continued. "You need to turn that thing off."

Jane bit her lip, but did as she was told. After all, she didn't want to hurt Sara further in any way. She just prayed that Michael wouldn't call her before they reached the hospital.

* * *

Michael cursed when the operator's voice told him that _'this number was not available. Please call back or leave a message after the tone'_. He'd already grabbed the keys and made a run for the car before Lincoln intercepted him. "Michael. Stay." 

He growled at him. "Lincoln, Jane's not answering my calls. I _have_ to go."

His argument was met with a firm headshake. "She would have needed to turn off her cellphone, so the machines wouldn't go ballistic." He reasoned. "Michael, call her back in _ten_ minutes. If she doesn't answer then, well – we'll storm the place with guns. Okay?"

Michael sighed. "Okay." His thoughts were with Sara every single second and, despite her stubborn whispers in his head that she would be alright, he had a terrible feeling that he'd never see her again. That he'd never press his lips to her skin again, or have her hand clasping his during the night and draping his arm over her body. He feared never hearing her voice but in his dreams, never kissing her but in mirages.

The phone rang six minutes later.

It didn't go over twice. Michael was out of breath all of a sudden and gave Jane a raspy 'hello'.

"_She's in surgery right now. That's all I know, but the nurses in the ambulance were sure she'd pull through."_

He exhaled and closed his eyes. "Thanks."

"_It's okay, Michael. It will be alright."_

He nodded. "Yeah.I'll be in touch, soon. And Jane -"

"_Hmm?"_

"Don't turn off your cellphone." He flipped the phone closed and drew a hand over his face. _See?_Sara said. _I told you I'd be fine. Did you honestly think that I would allow myself to die like that?_

A small grin appeared on his face. She was right, she'd never let herself go down like that. Stubborn as hell, she was. And that was exactly how he loved her.

* * *

It was twelve phonecalls later before he finally stepped into the car and started the engine, this time _with_ Lincoln's blessing and his presence beside him. It was dark out, and he could easily sneak into Sara's room now. He'd wanted to ever since Jane had told her she'd made it out of surgery four calls ago, but Lincoln (and his own sanity) had held him back. 

They were there in thirty-five minutes. It was exactly ten fifty-seven when he opened the door to her room and rushed to her side. Once there, he carefully took her hand in his and sat down next to her. "Hey," he whispered. "it's me – I'm here."

He slowly leaned over and touched her forhead with his lips.A tear trickled down them, falling on the skin he had feared never feeling against his again. The shrill beeping of her heartbeat disturbed him – it wasn't Sara, the harsh tones. His Sara's heart beat softly and lovingly, but not like this.

His ear found a random spot on her body as he listened to the soft and soothing sounds of Sara.

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_Was it a bit okay?_

_XO_


	24. Umbrellas

**A/N : Hi guys! I know it's been a while since I've last updated, but this time, I really have an excuse. I'm in computer-rehab. Some people said that I was spending an unhealthy ammount of time behind this laptop, so my social life was bad, yada yada yada...(all not true, of course), so I said : screw you guys! I'll proove to you that I can live without my laptop for a week! And YES, I did it! Bravo for me.**

**Now, here's the next chapter...Hope you like it, please let me know...Oh, and how do you think I should continue? **

**Hey-ho, Lemme know!**

**XO**

**

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**Michael raised his head from the hospitalbed and glanced at the red blinking lights that portrayed the hour. He checked Sara's chart and came to the conclusion that in a little over ten minutes, the doctor would come to check on her. He'd been here, with her, for over an hour and he wasn't going to leave her yet. 

Pressing a small kiss to her hand, he gave her a quick smile. "Do you want to know what I was thinking? Before?" His fingers started to stroke the back of her hand and he kept on admiring it's softness. She was so soft. "The zillion pennies – thing?" He grinned when she kept silent. "Yeah – I knew you'd want to. Well," he continued,"you were horsebackriding – you came from beyond the horizon, across an open field, and the sun was set on fire. You had this big rifle in you hand and you simply let go of the reigns, screaming into the sky. God, Sara. You were so beautiful. You are."

Michael ran his hand over his short hair and sighed. "And I love you so much. I – I need you to wake up, Sara." He lifted her hand to his face and held his forehead to her fingers, not surprised in the least when he felt the wetness he left there. "I need you, Sara." He sniffled. "And I have to go. For a few minutes...I'll be back after they've checked on you, okay? I'm not leaving you...ever." His lips connected with hers for a minute before he reluctantly let go and retreated to the bathroom, waiting until he could see her again.

His breathing was heavy against the pale wall when the doctors entered. The warmth of it echoed back against his cheek, and the only fear he had was being taken out of this room. Being ripped away from her once again. He heared them, the doctors, talking quietly to eachother, assessing Sara's situation. _It was looking good._ They were sure she was going to make a good recovery, and that she would not be staying very long.

"I thought she was missing?"

The other doctor shrugged. "I have no idea. But she is going to have some explaining to do, that's for sure."

And then they left. Michael bumped his head against the cold tiles. _Sara_ would have some explaining to do. Once again, she was going to pay a price. He needed to see her again.

It was a beautiful sight to see when Michael came out of the bedroom and found her smiling back at him. His eyes cleared and he sped up, nearly running towards her and kissing the sides of her face, that he held in his hands. Her fingers trailed to the back of his head and she softly moved them up and down. Her smile never wavered.

"I'm okay, Michael." She said and he immediately pulled away and looked into her eyes, to see the truth. Sara clucked her tongue. "Please don't look at me like that." She let out a soft chuckle. "Makes me want to kiss you really badly."

He let out a nervous smile and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, surveying the damage with every little thing he did. She rolled her eyes. "Which part of _I'm okay_ didn't you get?"

Michael shrugged. "You know how I get, sometimes."

She nodded. "That's why I love you." Her fingers gripped the collar of his shirt and she pulled him forward, locking her lips with his.

Michael got a first-hand experience of how _okay_ she really was. After a while, she pulled back and laughed.

"So, I was horsebackriding with a rifle in my hand?"

Jane had gone for some air. She breathed in, deeply and closed her eyes. It had been a hell of a day and all she wanted to do now was to go home and sleep. _Yes,_ she decided, _a bed sounds wonderful._

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of footsteps coming towards her. The hospital was deserted at this late hour and – well, they _were_ in the middle of a damn conspiracy. A small smile slipped out when she saw Lincoln Burrows' form moving in her direction. "Hey there."

He gave her a wink. "Hi."

And then there it was. The awkward silence that sometimes takes over moments in life, when you can feel the air vibrating with something important. It lasted for a small three seconds, before Lincoln rushed out his next words. "Are you okay?"

The words came out so fast, so nervously, that she melted inside. "Yeah," she whispered, "I'm okay. You?"

Lincoln shrugged. "I'm alright. Just a bit worried about Sara – and my baby brother."

Jane nodded. "How's he doing?"

Lincoln sighed. "Well, before he saw her, he was a nervous wreck. I suppose that he's just a tad calmer." He smiled a little. "There has never been anybody, in his whole life, who has this effect on Michael. She's...his savior, in a way. He loves her more than anything."

His eyes turned to hers and held them for a while. "I'm so glad it isn't you, in there."

She walked over to him and he opened his arms for her to step into. Resting her head on his chest, she bathed in his closeness and in the feeling of his hand on her back. _This beats a bed. Definitely._

Michael looked appalled. "Exactly _how long _have you been awake?"

She pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth. "I could _hear_ you, but I couldn't...well, _function_ yet."

All of a sudden, her face clouded. "Michael – nobody else is hurt, right? Please tell me everyone is okay."

He kissed her forhead. "Everyone's okay, Sara. Except for Londain... he didn't make it."

"Oh."

And that was all there needed to be said, really. _Oh. _No bitterness, no crying,...just indifference. "And...and you're okay, too? Michael, you're not hurt, are you?"

He shook his head. "I just grazed my arm."

She pursed her lips. "Let me see."

"Saraa!" he whined, but Sara would have none of it. She was a. a doctor, and b. his girlfriend. She deserved this, damn it! When she told him that reasoning, he smiled and kissed her passionately.

"Yes, you are."

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_You like? Not? Please tell me! Your reviews mean everything to me!_

_XO_


	25. Visiting hours

**A/N : You guys, I'm back again, with a new chappie! BTW, have you SEEN MiSa's kiss, coming to us on Monday? (squeals) OMG OMG OMG!!**

**Please tell me what you think? Pleaaaase?**

**XO**

**PS: This chapter refers to Michael sending Henry a snowglobe. That's from my story "The Golden Taj", it sort of happens to Henry while this story happens to MiSa. Read it!**

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**Henry walked into the hospitalroom and hugged Sara. The next words out of his mouth were "He's here, isn't he?" Sara smiled a little and then shook her head. 

"Don't be mad at him, okay? He did what he had to do, because Lincoln is innocent. Come on, you _know_ him. You know Michael. And you know me." She grabbed his fatherly hand and squeezed it. "I love him, okay?"

Henry sighed and drew his hand over his face. He did know Sara and he knew that she wouldn't just fall for things – Sara always knew the truth. Michael – he had trusted him once. And the snowglobe... Well, let's just say that Michael Scofield was halfway to forgiveness by now. His brow furrowed. "Is he the reason you're in here?"

Sara shook her head an blinked away the tears that were starting to build up in her eyes. "No. We had – our car was in an accident. I was... We were sitting on the backseat, wearing our seatbelts," Henry smiled. Sara always worried about things like that. "and all of a sudden, there was this..." she swallowed hard, biting her lip and closing her eyes briefly. Henry sat up on the bed and put his arms around her.

"It's okay," he said, "you're okay now. Is he okay, too?"

She smiled. "Michael's fine." A soft laugh followed. "He's having a hard time leaving my side, though. You would think he sticks to me like velcro."

Henry's eyes darted around the room, looking for any sign of Michael. He reached over Sara's body and lifted the origami rose from her nightstand. "I can tell he's been here."

She nodded. "Yeah. I told him to get out, so I could talk to you."

A finger darted over the man's mustache. "So where is he now."

Sara looked sad. "Probably hiding, somewhere. He's probably with Lincoln, figuring what to do about the tape that was released. But he promised to be back in..." she glanced at the clock, "fifteen minutes. If you want to, you could wait, and see him. "

He nodded. "I would like that."

_Flashback_

"_If I understand you correctly,Miss Tancredi,you just needed some time after your father's death...to cope with things, and you just packed and left?"_

_Sara nodded. "I had been suspended from my job for a while, officers, and I had just recovered from an overdose. My father passed away. I'm sure you can understand my condition and my decision to regain my strength elsewhere."_

_The officers nodded. They'd entered ten minutes ago and, after making sure every room of Sara's small 'residence' was completely empty, they'd started the interrogation. Sara had answered every question perfectly: she'd needed to regain her strength, so she travelled around for a while with her backpack – pitched a tent somewhere. After that, she went over to Jane's grandparents' house and left her stuff there, to continue her journey, with Jane. _

_Jane...Sara wondered how she was holding up. In the short time she'd known the woman, she'd started to feel like friends. Maybe it was because there weren't many women around, but Sara doubted it. There was just something that connected them, right from the start._

"_Miss," the male officer shook her out of her reverie, "It is regulation that we have someone brought over here, someone close to you – to make sure you get home safely. Who should we call?"_

_She didn't even think of Sally. Not at first, that is. "Henry Pope." Her father. _

A soft knocking was heard and Henry watched as Sara's whole face brightened, when she let out the most beautiful smile. "Come in."

Michael snuck in, immediately closing the door behind him, his baseball cap hiding his entire face that turned downwards. He didn't see the other man in the room until he turned around and gave his girlfriend a similar smile. It faltered a bit when he saw Henry...the smile turned shy, and Michael looked ashamed.

That was the exact moment Henry forgave him. He stood up and walked over to where the man was standing, halfway from the door to the bed, and put his arm on Michael's shoulder. "Hello, Michael."

"I'm sorry." His voice sounded scared and broken and the older man just couldn't refrain from hugging his 'son' tightly. Michael squeezed back, like a little boy clinging to his father. Henry nearly choked up.

"I know. Now go kiss your woman."

He could feel, rather than see, Michael's smile. Letting go of the strong body, he stepped back and saw Michael running towards Sara and kissing her soundly on the lips. "How are you feeling?" He sat on the bed, with his back against the headboard. Sara's head immediately found his chest and she leaned against him, while he kissed her hair.

"I'm better. The nurses gave me something for the pain, and the doctor said that I can leave in an hour or so."

He sighed a little."You do know that I'll be with you as soon as I can, right?"

_Flashback_

"_Sara, I think we have to discuss what happens next." _

_They were lying in eachother's arms again and Sara had almost drifted off when he said it. It's safe to say that she was awake in an instant. Sitting up, she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at him, confused. _

"_What do you mean, Michael? I'm going with you."_

_He kissed her. She knew that wasn't a good sign right now, so she placed her hands against his chest and softly pushed him away. _

"_Michael!"_

"_You got hurt." He said, his voice breaking. His forhead leaned against hers, and his breath was warm on her nose. "You got hurt – and you need to recover from all of this. Running is the last thing you should be doing right now."_

_She rolled her eyes. "What did I tell you about treating me like I'm the most precious thing around?"_

_Michael laughed. "Not to. But that was before you were in the hospital. I mean, God, Sara - you're in a **hospital**. You need to rest. I'll be with you as soon as I can, okay. Just believe me when I tell you that."_

_Sara gave him a weak smile. "I know." She sighed. "I just don't want to leave you."_

_He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "It'll all be over soon, you know."_

"_I know."_

"I know." She looked up and gave him a sweet kiss. "Now, you need to go. The doctor's coming soon. I love you."

He cupped her face in his hands, mindful of her bruises, and kissed her lovingly. "I love you too. Now, you stay safe, okay – do you have any place to go?"

"She'll stay with me."

Michael gave Henry a thankful look. "Take care of her." He hugged Sara one final time and walked over Henry, also giving him a quick hug. At the door, he paused one final time, put on his cap and smiled at the duo occupying the room. His eyes rested on Sara.

"I love you so much, Sara."

And then he was gone.

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_Pleeeaaase tell me what you think? Then maybe I'll update tomorrow!_

_XO_


	26. As I'm leaving

**A/N : you guys, thank you so much for the reviews! I'm so happy that you like the chapters where there's not a lot of shooting and running going on. The action is coming back though (ps : see last sentence of this chapter.)**

**Let me know what you think, please?**

**XO**

**

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**Michael stared out of the window, watching the landscape glide by him. Biting the top of his thumb, he thought of her. Of course he did. 

"Linc, hand me the phone, please?"

His brother gave him a small wink and threw the untraceable cellphone at him, before shifting his eyes towards Jane's thoughtful profile. Lately, he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her, for fear she'd disappear right from under his nose. The feelings pulsating through him were just too hard to ignore, even though he tried to. Lincoln had never been an emotional guy, he left that stuff up to Michael. When faced with real love (as in : _I love you. Will you be_ _my girlfriend?_) and having to do the whole fight or flight – thing, Lincoln Burrows would run like hell.

But not this time.

The one thing he had learned while running, was that love should never be ignored. He saw it everywhere. It had been there when he was on the phone with Veronica and it had been there in Michael's head, every damn second he was away from Sara. Like at present.

He heard his brother's muffled words of missing and loving, and smiled proudly. _Good for you, Mike._

"Sara?" He whispered (for no good reason) into the phone.

He could hear her smile, while behind him the white hospitaltower faded in the background, replaced by a dark grey skyline without end.

"_Well, well, aren't you a needy little boyfriend."_ She laughed, the sound soothing the sharpness of distance between them.

"Hey!" He shrugged defensively. "Can you blame me for not wanting to leave a beauty such as yourself?"

Sara snorted. _"Michael Charles Scofield, you are so full of it."_

Michael closed his eyes and leaned against the cold window, the reverberations of the car moving to his head. "I so very much miss you, Sara."

_"I so very much miss you too. But it won't be long until we see eachother again, right? What's your plan?"_

"Our plan is to er- to..."

_"God damn it, please don't tell me you don't have a plan."_

He shook his head. "Gee, Sara, relax. We have a plan, okay?" Her heavy breathing became calm again, and he patted himself for saving the situation quite nicely. "Firstly, we go back to the safehouse and pack up again. And after that, we go out to find Kellerman."

She huffed. _"Paul?"_

"Yes, _Paul_, the psycho agent who I'm about to beat up. Listen, Sara, if he put out the tape, then that means that he has at least some sense of conscience. I think he played the Company, just like he played us. Just – please trust me, okay?"

"I always have."

He grinned. "uhu."

"_Fine!" she laughed, "maybe not always, but most of the time. Now, Henry wants to have a word with you, so I'll pass him in a few seconds. Tell Jane to remember our gameplan, and that I can't wait to see her again. I love you, Michael. Be careful."_

A smile lit his face. "I love you too. I'll be in touch as soon as I..."

_"Yeah, yeah, you emotional tutz. Here's Henry."_

"_Michael?"_

Michael smiled. "It's good to hear your voice..." he paused, not quite knowing how to continue, "sir..."

Henry let out a heavy laugh. _"Wow, that took a lot out of you. Now, in the future, just stick to 'Henry', okay? I think we've been through too much together for you to 'sir' me."_

He nodded. "Okay – thanks."

_"Now, what I wanted to tell you is : be careful, alright? We need you over here."_

_We_ need you over here. Michael silently thanked whoever was responsible for the grace of Henry Pope. "The same here. You need to be careful too, okay? Keep Sara safe for me."

"_I will. She's quite something huh?"_

"She's everything."

Henry laughed. _"Yes, that too."_ Sara's squeals of 'what am I? What the hell did he tell you?' were heard on the other side of the phone. _"Michael, I'm going to leave you now. I need to calm Sara down before the doctor comes in and decides that she's not fit to leave yet. If I have to listen to her complaining about the hospital food one more time..."_

He chuckled. "I understand. Thank you for everything,...Henry. I'll be in touch." Clasping the phone shut, he smiled dizzily. Talking to Sara always made him happy and content.

"You look happy." Jane added, smiling at him through the rearviewmirror.

Michael grinned at her. "I _am_ happy. By the way, Sara told me to tell you to remember your 'gameplan'." He paused. "What's your 'gameplan'?"

_Flashback_

"_Sara!" Jane exclaimed excitedly upon entering the small hospitalroom. She walked over and gave her friend a hug, that was fiercely returned._

"_Hey Jane."Sara's eyes sparkled. She'd missed the woman. "How are you?"_

_She shrugged. "I'm fine. The question is : how are you?" She gave Sara's hand a sympathetic squeeze. "Not too much pain?"_

"_I'm fine." Sara smiled. "How's Lincoln?"_

_Jane turned a beautiful shade of red. "What – what makes you think that I know how...how Lincoln...what about Lincoln?"_

_Sara laughed and playfully nudged her friend. "Don't even try to act innocent. I saw the way you two were looking at eachother the other morning."_

_Jane sighed. "Is it that obvious?"_

_Sara bit her lip. "A little."_

"_Okay!" Jane cried out. "I like Lincoln!" She dropped her head in her hand, propped up on one elbow, resting on the soft matress. "What am I going to do?"_

_Sara softly patted the woman's head. "All we need is a gameplan."_

Jane just gave Michael a mysterious smile, before turning back to the road. Michael frowned, but let it go. _The thing about women,_ he said to himself, _is that you have to let them have their little secrets. Makes them happy._

The next minute he was startled by the ringing of his phone. _Sara?_

"Hello?"

_"Michael, don't hang up on me."_

Well, it definitely wasn't Sara.

* * *

_Who the hell is on the phone?_

_Please let me know what you think!_

_XO_


	27. Reunited, and it feels so good?

**A/N : I'm here! Again! And I can't wait to see MiSa's kiss! Too bad I have to wait until tomorrow evening...Aww...Yeah, so, I know what I'll spend my day daydreaming about!**

**Please let me know what you think of this chappy? You're the best!**

**XO**

**

* * *

**Michael smirked. "What do _you_ want?" 

_"Now, now, Michael – don't be mean. After all, I did get that tape out in the open. Imagine what you would have done without me."_

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, we're eternally grateful. Why couldn't you do that while you were still on our side? I mean – I thoroughly enjoyed the part where you betrayed us, but I'd like an explanation."

Kellerman laughed. "_Still as funny as ever. Now, I don't believe I owe you an explanation. I did what I had to do for the cause. And Michael, the only cause I'm interested in is myself. Call me a heartless son of a bitch, but..."_

All of a sudden, a girl's voice peeped up on the other side, _"Who are you talking to?"_

Michael's eyes widened. "Who is she?"

_"No one you should be concerned about.."_ he muffled his voice with his hand, _"Tash, I'll explain everything to you later, okay? Gimme a minute... Michael?"_

"I'm here."

_"I'm overjoyed. Now, do you, or do you not – still want to tear everybody down?"_

Michael huffed. "What do you think? I want all of this to end, Paul."

_"Great. Meet me at...Where are you?"_

" I'm on my way to Ballwin." He ran a hand over his head. Meeting Paul again...greeaaat.

"_Okay, you're going to have to be more specific. Where are you ex-act-ly?"_

"Jesus, Paul. Do you want the exact coordinates? Try google. I'm no GPS." Oh, the excitement of reuniting was killing him. Really.

Paul barked a laugh._ "No Bolshoi Booze to get you out of this one?"_

"Yeah," he snarked back, "I didn't exactly count on our guy on the inside betraying us."

A deep sigh sounded over the phone. _"Michael, either we go at this all night, or we can put it behind us for a while, and continue with the plan. What do you say?"_

Well, there's one thing he wasn't going to say, and that was sorry. "Yeah," he nodded, "okay. Let's meet up."

_"Do you still have Sara with you?"_

He closed his eyes. "No. She went home with Henry. The ex-Warden."

_"Damn it. I needed her to talk to...you know."_

He didn't, but he decided to leave it that way, at least for a little while. "Yeah. So, we need a time, and a place."

-

Sara stared out of the window of the car, watching the fields turning white pass her by. The phone was clutched into her hand. She missed Michael terribly and prayed every single damn second of the day that he was okay. But the fear she had once felt had subsided. Yesterday, and all the dangerous plans and assholes surrounding it, was far away.

Henry smiled at her. "I don't know if I told you yet, Sara, but it's really great to see you."

She gave him a small smile in return. "I'm sorry for not being with you for a hundred percent here, I just..." she shrugged, "well, you know."

"You miss Michael." He laughed. "That's...you know...understandable.Listen, Sara..." he trailed off, "do you want to talk about...what happened? Judy says I'm a great listener."

"There's not much to tell, really," Sara let out a soft sigh, "Michael continued to contact me after he'd escaped...he even called me once...it took me some time to figure out the codes he'd sent me, you know Michael...but eventually we met up. He proposed I run with him and his brother to Panama." Raking a hand through her hair, she continued.

"I freaked out, Henry. I left him...left a little note behind and walked to my car. And then I realized I couldn't leave him. I was too much in love with him. Too lost without him. I stepped out of my car and intended on walking back to him, but someone grabbed me. Tortured me. I escaped and found shelter with this really kind woman. Michael called me over there on our connected phones and he picked me up at her house."

She blinked, remembering that day, and how she'd felt like she'd lost him. Only, of course, to have him kiss her and promise never to leave her. Ever. _Yeah,that was a good day._

Her eyes drooped and Henry patted her shoulder. "You're exhausted. Get some sleep."

"Henry," she murmured, seconds away from Michael-filled dreams, "It's really great to see you too."

-

Jane parked the car on a small dry strip next to the abandoned warehouse (because really, is there any other place to meet up with an ex- federal agent/ ex- good guy/ ex – traitor / good guy again?) and the three of them stepped out. Jane went ahead of the boys, throwing her hair over her shoulder and putting on her sunglasses to protect her eyes from the soft wintersun. She smiled when she noticed Lincoln staring at her. Could Sara be right? Could it be that her feelings were being returned?

People say that it's a bad thing when a relationship begins in extreme times, that it had little chance of surviving in a 'normal' atmosphere, but really – when had Jane's life ever been in a 'normal atmosphere'.

All she knew – all she'd learned over the years, and especially in these times, is that love can't be denied. You just have to let it wash over you when the tidal wave arives, and swim in the bliss.

"Jane?" Turning around, she gave Lincoln a sweet smile. She was grateful that he couldn't see her eyes, that were twinkling misschievously. Might give him the wrong idea.

"Yes?" Lincoln let out a small sigh when he saw her smile. It was a sight that he wanted to see many, many times more. Preferably in times when he put it there.

"Er -" He stumbled, "when we get back to the safe house, could I...talk to you for a minute?"

She nodded. "Sure. But first, let's go see this Paul-guy."

They entered and were greeted by a small girl, about 9 years old, with blond hair and green eyes. "Hey," she said, her eyes big and round, "you're that guy from tv!"

Michael shifted his eyes nervously and swallowed. "Uhm... and you are?"

The next moment, Paul appeared behind her. "Michael, I want you to meet my daughter."

The girl waved shyly. "Hi."

* * *

_Okay, so aren't you glad I didn't pick Nika? I never liked the woman. Bo-hoo. MiSa forever!_

_Please let me know what you think?_

_XO_


	28. Turn up your stereo,video, I don't know

**A/N : Hey, I'm back! With on the menu tonight : a short, sweet chapter. I just felt like writing this. It's kinda mushy sometimes, but we like that, don't we? (smiles)**

**Please tell me what you think?**

**XO**

**

* * *

**Michael could only stare at the girl, and raise his hand weakly. "Er –" he said, "Hi." 

The little girl smiled. "You don't look dangerous. Are you dangerous, mister?"

Jane laughed. "No, sweetie, he's not."

Paul's daughter smiled up at her. "Are you my mommy?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I'm not. But I can be your friend?" She held her hand out, and the girl eagerly took it.

"Daddy, can I show my new friend my toys?" Paul winked at her, but warned her not to go to far and to stay in sight. Tasha, as Kellerman called her, skipped away, pulling Jane along with her.

Lincoln looked on with a smile on his face. Jane was...God, she was beautiful. Her hair was down today – flowing freely around her head and shoulders. It gave her a certain glow, that he was sure he could not get enough of. And he would tell her. As soon as they got home. _Wow. Home._ It had been a long time since he'd last used that word. Over 3 years, to be exact.

_Focus on Paul now._ Paul was talking to his brother in hushed tones, even though his daughter was far enough not to catch on anyway. "She was the one who was supposed to keep me in line. Kim let me know that they knew where she was, but would not give away her location until I'd done some things for him. Well, I've done enough. Now I've got her back."

Michael ran a hand over his head. "So she's the reason for all the..."

"Deceiving?" Paul nodded. "Yes, Michael. She was the reason I '_betrayed_' you. I still want to get these people down. Now, are you with me?"

-

Sara entered the small, but cosy home and was immediately greeted by a pair of ovenmittens grabbing her and pulling her into a fierce hug.

"Sara, it's been too long!" Henry's wife kissed her cheeks and motioned for her to come further. "I heard about your accident, are you alright?" She studied Sara from every angle and then gave her a satisfied nod.

"Thanks, Mrs. Pope. I'm alright, thank you." Sara smiled at all the love flooding her.

Judy clucked her tongue. "What have I told you? It's Judy."

Sara nodded. "Judy..."

"Now," she clapped her ovenmittens together, "I am just finishing up dinner, so...Henry, could you set an extra plate? I'd say you have about seven minutes. I believe that's manageable, even for you..." She gave Sara a wink.

Henry rolled his eyes, but got to work anyway. Sara sat down on the cosy sofa and looked around the room. Her eyes had just settled on a small, shiny object on the bookshelf, but as she reached out to touch it, the shrill ringing of the cellphone caught her attention.

She laughed quietly and flipped it open, placing it next to her cheek. "Hello?"

"_Hey,"_ a warm voice greeted her, _"it's me."_

She grinned. "Oh – could you call back later? I'm waiting for my other boyfriend to call."

He whistled._ "Someone's in a mood."_

Rolling her eyes, Sara clucked her tongue. "Myeah, myeah – be nice, Michael. Now, how are things over there?"

"_Good. I've just met er – Paul's daughter."_

Sara coughed. "'Scuse me? His...his daughter?"

-

"Yes," Michael continued, while he distanced himself from the small group and walked into the direction of the car. "Apparently, she was Bill Kim's leverage to keep Paul in line."

He heard her sigh. _"That's wrong."_

He nodded. "Very." Michael placed himself against the hood of the car and leaned backwards, gazing up into the sun. "You have no idea how much I miss you right now."

Sara smiled. He could feel it, even with the distance seperating them. _"Well, I miss you too. Any idea on when I might see you again?"_

Michael sighed. "I don't know, honey. Could be tomorrow, could be a week from now."

She giggled, causing him to break into a huge smile. "What?"

"_You called me honey."_

He tilted his head. "I did, huh?"

"_Yes, honey, you did." _She laughed. _"You know what?"_

"What?"

"_I loved it when you called me honey."_

He bit his tongue to keep from laughing out loud. But then he did anyway. "Well, then plan on hearing it more often."

"_Michael?"_

"Hm?"

"_Say it again?"_

He threw his head back and tried to keep his smile from aching because of its width. " I love you, honey."

"_I love you too. But I have to go. Dinner's ready."_

Disappointed, he nodded. "Okay...I'll call you as soon as I can, okay?"

"'_kay. Love you."_

-

Dinner was delicious, and afterwards they sat in front of the tv together. Sara felt like a little girl having a quiet evening with her parents in front of the telly.

All of a sudden, the show was interrupted and a message flooded the screen. _"This just in, from Fox News. Lincoln Burrows, and his brother Michael Scofield, have sent us a video, where they explain their 'innocence'. This is official footage."_

Sara clapped her hands excitedly when Michael's face came on and she turned around, looking at her hosts with small stars in her eyes. "That's my boyfriend!" she exclaimed with a laugh.

For half an hour, the two men occupied the screen, and even Paul jumped in every once in a while. After that tape, no one could doubt their innocence any longer. The world now knew the truth.

"_And to finish," _Michael concluded, _"I would just like to say to my girlfriend : I love you, honey."_

_

* * *

_

_What did I tell you about it being mushy? Yeah, yeah, I can be a tad 'ridiculously romantic' at times, but hey - isn't it nice?_

_Please let me know if you liked it?_

_XO_


	29. Absent mind

**A/N : Jeeej, another chapter is UP! Doesn't have too much Misa, I promise I'll make up to you in the next chapter! **

**Pleaaase let me know what you think?**

**XO**

**

* * *

**Sara smiled widely into the phone. "I liked your performance." 

He chuckled. _"Aww, I'm happy you liked it. Loved it?"_

She rolled her eyes at Judy, but nodded anyway. "Loved it. What happens next?" Sara feared his answer. She knew what it was going to be and didn't like it one bit. Well, _suuure_, they'd proven their innocence by their whole television-testimonial, but that didn't change the fact that they broke prisoners out of jail. Six of them. _T-bag._ She shivered.

Michael sighed. _"You know what happens next...I'm going to need to turn myself in._"

Sara threw her head back and fought her tears. "I know." She croaked out. "But, could you do something for me?" When he kept silent, she figured it was an okay for her to continue, so she did. "Could you come and see me first? I mean, who knows when I might see you otherwise." Judy walked over to her and hugged her from behind, giving Sara the comfort she needed so badly in that moment.

She wished her mother was here.

"_You're still at Henry's?"_

"Yah." Honestly, where else could she be? In her old appartement, with the emptiness and probably still the remains of her fight with the suit from long ago, all alone and pining for him? Right.

"_I'll be there as soon as I can. I miss you, Sara."_

Sara laughed. "You better."

_"We're going to stop at the safe house first, and Lincoln is going to 'talk' to Jane. Something is up between those two, have you noticed?"_

She laughed once more. "Michael – even the smallest ietsy pietsy baby would notice. 'Sides, I'm with Jane on this one."

"_Ah."_he smiled knowingly,_"the gameplan."_

"Honestly, Michael, sometimes you can be a bit..."she grinned, "daft."

"_Ms. Tancredi, did you just call me..?"_

She nodded decisively. "Sure as hell did. Now get that beautiful behind of yours in gear. The sooner you get going, the sooner you're here."

"_On my way."_

"I love you, Michael."

"_Me too."_

Sara shook her head with a laugh when she clasped her phone shut. "That good?" came the voice of Judy (who'd retreated to the kitchen a few minutes before).

She shrugged. "Partly."

-

Michael looked at Lincoln, who was looking at Jane, who was watching the road. "We need to stop by Sara before we turn ourselves in tomorrow."

Lincoln's head turned to him. "Huh?"

The younger brother rolled his eyes and leaned towards his brother. In a whisper, he told his brother that 'he could at least be subtle when staring and that Michael was beginning to feel a little inadequate'. Lincoln nudged his brother hard, telling him to 'shut up, you moron'.

_Oh yeah. It was wonderful having a brother._

"Jane, is it okay with you if we go to Sara before turning ourselves in?" He didn't doubt that she'd say yes. After all, the women were conspiring against his poor brother, weren't they?

She looked over her shoulder to smile at him. _He missed Sara's smile._ "Sure thing, Michael. You really miss her, huh?"

He slid further down the couch and nodded. "Yah."

"I know I would miss...you know, someone too, if I would be away from.." she laughed shyly. "You know what I mean, right?"

Michael winked at her. "I do."

Lincoln didn't. He was as clueless as ever, and lost in his own thoughts, thinking about how to tell Jane that he...you know. Time was running out for him...they could almost see the outlines of the safehouse against the pink evening sky. Throwing his hands together, he cracked every single digit. Michael slapped him.

_Oh yeah. It was wonderful having a brother._

Jane was the first one who got out of the car. She slammed the door behind her and casually walked into the house. She only appeared to be walking casually. Jane's heart was racing in her throat and she felt as if she would faint every minute. _Lincoln._

Now, should she? You know, wait for him in the livingroom? Make him a cup of coffee? Tea? Make him milk and cookies? She sighed and walked into the kitchen. _God, she needed scotch. No, no scotch, Jane. Take tea._ She twirled the small bag of camomille between her fingers. _No camomille, Jane. Makes you sleepy. _Green tea. Lemon-flavored green tea.

Michael smiled at his brother. "Breathe, Linc. You'll be fine."

"How do you know for sure. What did Sara say?"

Michael laughed. "Sara said she loves me."

Lincoln groaned. "About _Jane_, you moron."

"Listen, Linc." Michael forced his brother to look him in the eye. "Everyone knows what's happening with the two of you. You just need to tell eachother. Now," he gently pushed his brother towards the door, "she's waiting for you. Go."

_Right. Waiting. What the hell was he going to say? _When he entered the kitchen, he saw her raising and lowering her bag of tea into steaming water, waiting for the favor to spread. "Hey."

She turned around and smiled at him, never stopping the motion of the tea-bag. _T-bag._ Lincoln shook his head.

Jane bit her lip insecurely. "What?"

"Oh." Lincoln just managed to stumble. "I was just thinking...you know..." he pointed towards the tea. "T-bag."

Jane frowned. "He's still out, is he?" He nodded. "They'll get him."

"Yeah..." sighing, he sat down on one of the stools and raked a hand over his head. "Listen, er- Jane, you know, about the other morning. I just want you to know that I..." He turned to look out the window, while she tentatively put the steaming cup to her mouth to take a sip.

_Should she say anything? Would he want her to, or would he think that she was being unrespectful for interrupting him? After all, it was Lincoln who had asked to talk to her, and not the other way around._

Lincoln let out a nervous laugh. "As you can see, Michael's the smooth talker."

_He felt helpless. He didn't like the feeling_.

Jane, who had figured out that the tea was too hot still, put in on the counter and tentatively put her hand on top of his. He looked up and just...gazed at her.

_Retrieve the hand, Jane. Now! She should._

But then he put his other hand on top of hers and she felt the warmth of the palm of his hand enveloping hers. _Good move._

"That morning, we were running into something dangerous and, well...I knew you could handle yourself, you know, but I was just...I think that that's the moment my feelings for you hit me full force. And when we were captured, all I could think of was you and after that...with Sara. I just don't know what I would have done had it been you." He looked into her beautiful eyes and gave a small sigh.

_((And I thought your eyes were shining like the stars ))_

"I know that it isn't fair to tell you this. After all, I'm the escaped death-row inmate who killed the president's brother. But I just want to know if...you know..."

Jane leaned over the counter and softly pressed her lips to his. She distanced herself from him again and gave him a shy smile. Lincoln lifted his hand from on top of hers and lay it in her neck, urging her to lean into him again.

Cupping her cheek, he gently held her close (as much as the counter between them would let them) and showed her exactly how he felt.

The tea went cold. They didn't have to wonder why.

* * *

_Okay? Not okay? Pleaaase tell me what you think! XO_


	30. We can be heroes

**A/N : OMG thank you You guys, I've been trying to upload this chapter for _days_ now, and it never worked...But jeeeej! Somebody fixed it!**

**Okay...so here's the next chapter for Somersault. Yes, it's a few weeks overdue..But could you please tell me if you like it?**

**Please? I've been through so much to get this update online!**

**XO**

**

* * *

**The next morning, Lincoln whistled at breakfast and his brother was torn between the urge of slapping him for being this cheery when they were about to turn themselves in, or slapping him amically on the back in congratulations. He decided in favor of a playful nudge. 

Lincoln didn't even notice it. He was too busy monitoring Jane's every move and smiling at the way she blushed under his gaze. After their moment last night, she had been on his mind every single minute. They'd talked in the kitchen for hours, sweetly playing with eachothers fingers, until he had walked her to her room and kissed her goodnight.

He supposed that he should be worried about what the day would bring, with the big events happening, but he didn't. He figured Jane was his good luck charm, and Sara was Michael's. He let out a soft smile. If there was any piece of _justice_ in the justice system, it would make sure that the men wouldn't be torn apart from the women they loved. Sure, they'd broken six other men out of prison, but most of them had been captured. Lincoln had been innocent anyway and thanks to the two brothers, a major conspiracy had been stopped. That, at least, had to count for something, right?

Michael stared at his plate, aimlessly picking his fork into the pancakes that had been stapled there. He was, no doubt, counting the hours until he could see Sara again. Lincoln felt bad for his brother. He had Jane with him all the time, but Sara...well, she was miles away, pining for Michael the way he ached for her. Lincoln caught Jane's gaze and motioned towards Michael.

She let out a sad smile. "Michael, are you ready to leave in a half hour or so? I figure, the sooner we get to Sara, the better..."

"Yeah..." he sighed. Michael dropped his fork onto the plate and flinched at the shrill sound it made. He pushed his chair backwards and stood, walking back to his room while taking the stairs three at a time.

"Poor guy..."

Jane nodded and walked over to her new...boyfriend?...and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. "I'd be like that too if I had to miss you for that long a time."

Lincoln grinned. "You _do_ know that I'll be turning myself in later today?"

"Yeaaah..." she confirmed, "I'm just in denial for a bit, and hoping that the system won't be too hard on you guys."

He laughed and pulled her close. "Me too."

Michael stared out of the window, watching the scenery glide by. He was silently hoping that this wouldn't be the last time he'd see it. That it wouldn't be the last time that he'd breathe the air as a kinda-sorta-free man. But other than that sorrow, there was a much heavier ache in his chest, connected to the woman he'd be seeing in less than ten minutes.

Would it be the last time that he would be able to hold Sara, kiss Sara and make love to her?

He shook his head. Faith had been the thing that had kept them going for so long, and he couldn't afford to loose it now. Not when everything was finally coming down.

Honesty. He needed to be honest for a moment. It hurt to see Lincoln and Jane happy and together, when he was alone in the backseat. He wasn't being fair to his brother, he knew that... But jealousy gets the best of people. Including Michael Scofield.

"I'm on my way to you, okay? I'll be there in a half hour..." He smiled into the phone, thinking of the moment he'd see her again. Hearing her voice alone was a wonderful thing, but his joy would be unimaginable when he could hold her again.

"_Good..."she sighed heavily. "I can't wait to see you again, Michael..."_

_He nodded. "Me neither."_

_She was probably smiling on the other end of the line, his confirmation making her heart flutter. The butterflies were hard to suppress...A change of subject was in order, before she lost herself completely. "How's the game-plan?"_

"_It succeeded."His voice was monotone and he swallowed a crop of bitterness when he saw Lincoln touch Jane's hand over the steeringwheel and carress her fingers._

"_That's good..."Her voice lacked the same enthusiasm, he noticed. "We'll be together like that soon, Michael."_

_He smiled. "How is it that you always seem to know exactly what I need to hear?"_

_A beautiful laugh sounded through the cellphone. "'Cause I'm superwoman..."she whispered. _

_His soft laugh floated through the air and Lincoln cracked a smile of his own. It was good to hear Michael laugh, even if he hadn't been the cause for it in a long time. "You sure are. Which – I suppose – means that I have to be the geeky Clark Kent without superpowers? Shucks."_

_She stuck out her tongue. "Stop whining, you big baby. And hurry up. I need you here with me."_

They arrived at Henry Pope's house four minutes later. The stone walls that Michael had once seen from the window of his car, all those years ago in quiet observation, now looked more inviting than ever. All the more when mere seconds after he stepped out of the vehicle, he saw the curtains move and Sara's form stand behind the glass, her smile welcoming him with all the warmth she could possibly posses.

-

"Is he there?" Henry lifted his head from the book he had been reading, and looked at Sara's silhouette, painted with expectation, that stood in front of his window.

"Jup." She nodded her head slowly, and watched while Michael stepped out, his chrystal eyes immediately searching for her in the house – and finding her, mere seconds later. Next, Lincoln and Jane exited, their hands immediately linking and squeezing reassuringly. She smiled, happy.

"Aren't you going to meet him, then?" His eyebrows shot up and his eyes looked at her questioningly from behind his sage-looking glasses.

Sara answered his with a slow nod. "Er – jup." She walked away from the window and on to the door, leaping into Michael's arms before he had the chance to ring the doorbell. His arms went around her protectively, longingly, and to Sara, it felt like coming home.

"Are you okay?" His voice was soft next to her ear, the whisper tickling her senses. And she had tried to suppress the small sob, she had. But with him being her next to her, in the knowledge that very soon, they would be torn apart again, it was too much for her to hold in.

He caught her when she couldn't take it anymore. Grateful for Henry's pointers on where to find a comfortable couch, Michael sat down and pulled Sara on his lap, loving the feel of her face in the crook of his neck, yet at the same time on the verge of tears.

He too knew that every second was a second that they got closer to the time when he had to leave her again and leap into the unknown. There was no plan in his mind on how the authorities would react to the whole shakedown, but, he had said so many years ago, he would face the consequences, as long as his brother was free. That was before he had met Sara. She had changed it all – every single thought in his head had been filled with her presence and he loved it. But now...

She distanced her face a bit and looked apologetically at the other people in the room. "Sorry," she sniffled and wiped her face with the back of her hand, "I think I got a tad too emotional."

Judy gave her a warm smile. "That's alright, dear. Now, why don't you show Michael your room, while the rest of us prepare dinner. Lincoln, Jane, I look forward to getting to know you better..." She looked at the two of them while in the background, Michael and Sara snuck away. When they had almost made it to the stairs, they heard her gentle voice calling out to them. "Same goes for you, Scofield! Don't be a stranger."

He laughed, hurrying along with Sara, who pulled him on the stairs with urgency. "I won't, Ma'am. Thank you!"

"It's Judy!"

Michael let go of Sara's hand for a split second, to bend his head around the corner of the stairs. "Okay!"

-

Sara's room was nice. It was a tastfully decorated guestroom, with a painting of an orange sunset above water, twinkling in the sunlight. He gave her a big smile.

"You know what that reminds me of?..."

"Baja." She answered for him, and gave his hand a quick squeeze. "I know. That's what I love about this room."

He nodded in understanding. "One day, we'll go there, okay? I promise."

Sara turned to him, her eyes full of love and trust. "I know we will." She whispered, before closing her eyes and feeling his tender kiss taking her over.

"I know..."

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_You guys, what did you think? I really hope you liked it... Please lemme know_

_XO_


	31. The Leaving Song pt one

**A/N: Hey you guys. I know it's been ages since I updated, and even longer since I updated this baby. But maybe, if you tell be if you like it, I'll update sooner? (hint)**

**Pleaaase tell me what you think. This is part one of the leaving song.**

**XO**

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**Sara's big brown eyes connected with his chrystal blue ones while Michael's hand gently carressed her hair. The gentle blush on her cheeks revealed the little bit of nervousness she felt at being alone with him in her room, next to the painting with the orange glow surrounding them with hope. 

"Hm."

He smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose sweetly. "What?"

Sara bit her lip thoughtfully. "I was just thinking how this doesn't feel like goodbye." She gave him gentle smile. "I mean, apart from my little er –" a soft laugh escaped like a breath between her lips, " apart from my little breakdown earlier, it's just...I feel weird."

His mouth pressed a kiss to her forhead in reassurance. "It's not goodbye. It's only just beginning."

She looked hopeful. "You think?"

Michael nodded. "I know." His fingers started playing with the strand of hair that had fallen before her face. It was longer now, longer since it had been when he had seen her last at the hospital. "How are you feeling, really?I mean, with the accident and all."

Sara sat up straight in the bed and folded her arms over her knees that she had folded into her, leaving Michael to look up at her, smiling at her strength. "I still get nightmares sometimes. About that...moment." She shook her head to clear the thought. "That one little second where I was pulled away from you and fell. That's where I wake up, where the dream stops. The split second where I leave your warmth and...and I start to feel cold and have this ache. Right here." She took his hand and guided it towards the spot on her chest where a piece of glass had torn into her.

Michael crawled closer to her and gently lifted her shirt to press small kisses to the bandage that now soothed the pain a bit. Her head fell back onto the headrest and she let her fingers massage his scalp. Warmth flooded her and the cold was nowhere to be found.

--

Henry smiled at the sight of two outer hands handling the food, whereas two inner hands had dissappeared under the table. He felt as if his daughter had just brought home her husband and wanted to never let him go again.

He admired their strength. For some reason, they were brave and ready to face whatever came their way. He was proud.

"You kept it." Michael's eyes had settled on the small golden globe on his bookshelf and they shone with happiness.

Henry nodded with a smile. "Why wouldn't I? It means a lot, that small golden Taj. It represents a whole lot more than just a shiny thing." The whole table had fallen silent and now followed the interaction between the two men with interest. "It's a bit of...grace and forgiveness, Michael."

Judy smiled. _So he was the one who sent it and had touched her husband so that he nearly started to cry._ "Besides," she threw in her two cents, "it's damn pretty."

Michael swallowed the crop of emotion down his throat. The simple gestures these two people had made towards him had made him feel...accepted. A gentle squeeze in his hand shook him out of his reverie. He turned towards Sara and felt his heart get even heavier. Even if it wasn't goodbye...it was definitely a parting. He would be away from her for a long time, maybe, and he would miss her every second of every day. Quickly, he leaned forward and captured her lips in a sweet kiss.

When they parted, he only just caught the look of love in her eyes, before the blush appeared and she turned her face away to hide it. He gently grabbed her chin and turned it back to him. "Let me see this." he whispered, "let me see you."

Silence fell over the table for a second, before Sara leaped into his arms and buried her face in his shoulder, oblivious to all else. They didn't see the other people leave the table and find elsewhere to pass there time, didn't hear the ticking of the clock counting down the minutes until they would be parted again. All they felt was eachother, in that perfect moment.

They didn't cry. They only felt.

"Do you really have to go?"

He nodded silently against her cheek and forced her to look into his eyes. "But," he said while he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'll be thinking of you every second I am away."

She smiled. "I feel like I'm in one of those Saturday-evening movies."

Michael laughed. "It's thursday."

He received a playful swat on the arm, before "Hey...they left."

"Yeah," a voice entered from the kitchen, "and I'm afraid we should too." _Ah, Lincoln, always the partypooper._

Sara nodded. "Okay. I'll go with you."

"Sara..."

"Michael...! I'm going with you, okay. I mean, not to...wherever it is you're going...but I'll stay in the car. I'll take care of Jane. Right, Jane?"

Jane nodded. The two of them would need eachother for comfort after their boys would take the jump. "Michael, it's okay. I'll take care of her."

He nodded. "Okay. We need to say goodbye to Henry and Judy first."

"We're here!" Judy's excited voice came out of the hallway and she walked in, her arms outstreched to embrace him. Michael squeezed back and whispered a thank you. "Well, that's quite okay, you know." She gave him a wink. "Take care of yourself, Michael. Lincoln!" She went over to his brother and enveloped him in a similar hug, while Michael moved on to Henry.

The two men looked at eachother for a moment, both of them trying to stay strong and not break down in front of the other. Henry held out his hand for Michael to shake, hoping that this at least would be the thing that would let him keep it together. It was useless. As soon as their hands connected, Henry used it to pull Michael close to him and wrap his free arms around the man. Michael did the same and they just stood there, holding eachother, while the emotion rolled through them.

"Thank you."

"You take care of yourself, you hear me. Don't..." He wiped at the invisible tears with the back of his hand, "don't let them get you down, okay?"

Michael shook his head. "I won't." He glanced at Sara, who was talking to Judy, and let out a small smile. Henry followed his gaze and put a reassuring hand on the other man's shoulder. "We'll take care of her, don't worry."

Michael took a deep breath. "I know. Could you put this on her pillow tonight – please?" Henry nodded. "Thanks."

The older man watched with a terrible ache in his heart as the man he had once considered 'just another convict' turned around and walked out of the house, towards the car that was waiting to take him to the unknown. "Son..."

Michael spun around, the emotion flashing in his eyes, threatening to spill over when Henry continued. "We'll be waiting, right here."

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_So, what did you think? Pleaaase tell me?_

_XO_


	32. The Leaving Song pt two

**A/N: Thank you so much, everyone who has reviewed the last chapter. I'm sooo happy that you like it and are letting me know. That fact means more than you'll ever know.**

**Please tell me what you think of this one?**

**XO**

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**_I'm leaving but don't worry I'll be back again,  
you're always right here  
and you're grieving but don't hurry to your pack of friends,  
I'll stay it's clear,_

_The one you knew,_

_from your love I grew_

_into complete and whole  
and the way I justify,  
it's my way to control love everlasting_

His hand clasped hers tightly on the ride to the policestation, while his eyes took in every detail of her being, painted against the suntainted window. Sara, suddenly aware of his gaze on her, slowly turned to him and gave him a weak smile. They would have to leave eachother soon. When they were at home, time had been ticking, yes. The faint pulse of the clock had been a buzzing in their head that could not be shaken. But in this car, on this ride towards punishment, it seemed a gigantic digital clock had been hung before them, quickly diminishing the numbers and seconds to dust. These moments would stay with them forever.

Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.

He let his fingers wander over her cheek and felt her lean into him. He had insisted on sitting in the middle this time. If this were a movie, a soft, sad song would come on now...whispers of love and loss sung by an aching man would fill that car. Now, silence reigned, and the heaviness of their emotions.

Michael kissed her hair and blinked the tears threatening to fall away. He'd be back. She'd practically told him so when she had declared that it was not goodbye. He felt it too, that sort of reassurance that there was nothing to be scared of. He feared it anyway: the not being able to touch her, hold her and kiss her whenever he wanted, the short visits they maybe could have.

Sara looked up at him and sweetly reached to kiss him. "It's going to be okay," she sighed, resuming her position on his chest, "I can feel it."

He looked out the window and blinked into the sunlight. "I hope, I think, I know."

Lincoln rolled his eyes in the frontseat. _I hope, I think, I know_? Honestly, little brother, that's just what every girl wants to hear when the love of her life is leaving her for God knows how long.

"Hey.." Sara piped up. "I'll have none of that, Mr. Scofield. Just..." she gave him a smile, "just have a little faith."

Those words seeped through Michael's whole body. _Just have a little faith._ He grinned at her. "My, my, Ms. Tancredi...you really _are_ Superwoman."

She wiggled her eyebrows at him misschievously. "Mjah. I've just been undercover."

--

They wished they never had to see the outlines of the building that they were heading for. That they never had to watch that sign blinking in the rays of the setting sun, almost inviting them to come on in, _have a cuppa_.

He didn't care for tea.

The faint clicks of loosening seatbelts cut through the air like knives. But one of them hadn't been heard. Michael had put his hand over Sara's on the seatbelt and kept her from leaving. Their eyes battled for dominance : he wanted her to stay safe and she wanted to be stubborn and see him through until the end of it.

He leaned forward and let his hot breath carress her face. "I don't want you to see me in chains." He paused. "Not again." A kiss to distract her didn't help.

"Michael..." Sara gently pushed his face from hers to be able to look at him.

"Please." His teary eyes connected with hers, pleading with her to understand where he was coming from. The chains would keep his hands away from her, and let him be bound inside her memories. He wanted to be remembered a free man. Not the Michael Scofield she had once met inside a prison and who she believed had only used her, but the man who she loved and who had kissed her with all the love he felt for her.

Sara nodded and allowed herself to let a few tears slip out of the corners of her eyes. She had never been one of those heroines of the white screen who cried to easily and who shed perfect tears. Her own were sloppy and true.

Michael smiled at her. It was all she needed before he left again.

--

She felt like a breathing ragged doll when she walked back home. Jane had dropped her off a few miles back on her own request. She couldn't bear to be in the same space she had sat with Michael next her, his seat still warm in the echo of his body.

Looking up into the night sky, she was reminded of a song she had once heard, and of lyrics that had touched her so she had remembered. _'__You watch the stars fade. They gather you back to their home. I guess it's better than being alone.'_

Alone.

Sara wiped at her tears and closed her eyes briefly, feeling safe and loved. She wasn't alone.

--

Her bed was so inviting to her. Maybe she could sleep until his return. Like Sleeping Beauty, she would be awakened when her prince came back to kiss her. It was tempting...

But she was stronger than that. She needed to be, for Michael._ "My, my, Ms. Tancredi...you really are Superwoman."_

She hugged Henry and Judy and lifted her heavy feet to the first step, gradually making it all the way up. To the Baha-room.

Her eyes immediately found the box and letter and a smile appeared on her face. Her feet were lighter again, getting her to her pillow as fast as they could, and her hands eagerly grabbed at the small box, aching to discover what's inside.

The small Michael-made ring stared back at her. Its somewhat soft band of twisted wires slipped over her finger and the delicate, yet firm 'arts and crafts' flower put sparks of hope in her heart.

It was beautiful.

Her eyes searched the bed for the discarded note that had fallen to the floor in her eagerness to see the present. Nervously, she reached out to it with one arm while she cradled her other hand to her chest as if it would suddenly make him appear next to her and make his hand lay on top of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze while his body fit perfectly against hers.

_The waiting's almost over. I'll get you a real one._

_I love you forever,_

_Michael_

_

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So, what did you think? Did you like it? Didn't you like it? Please let me know? Pleaaase? _

PS: Lyrics at the beginning from "The one you knew" by Joshua Radin, the quoted lyrics from "Star Mile" by Joshua Radin.

XO


	33. Ain't no comforting me

**A/N : Okay, I knoooow it's been ages, and I'm so sorry. I've missed writing this story and hope that I'll get the chance again in the next weeks. Finals are coming up, so...I'll try. **

**But I'll only write another chapter if you tell me what you think about this one. I'm serious about this.**

**Please review?**

**XO**

**

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**Every time she heard the sound of an opening door or a telephone ringing, her heart would clench. It wasn't him – it never was. She hadn't heard his voice in a week and day and had missed it every second. Sure, she'd heard little itsy bits of news through the lawyer representing them, but never... 

It was looking good, the lawyer had said. Lincoln would probably go free. After her soft question of whether Michael would share his fate, the man started to stumble, searching for words. If there was anything Sara knew, it was that a stumbling man is no promise for a free boyfriend.

She wore his ring everyday, twirling it when she got nervous or lonely – or felt loved. The ring rarely stayed in its place. Casting her eyes sideways, she was greeted with their two smiling faces. It was a beautiful picture, and she'd thanked it a million times.

"_Don't..."_

_He grinned at her. "Listen," he said, trying to sound logically, "I don't want the only picture you've ever seen of me to be my mugshot and no," he smiled, "I don't think it is a pretty picture." His finger gently tapped her nose. "You're not getting out of this."_

"_Michael..." She groaned and hid her face in the pillows. "I'm the furthest thing from photogenic." _

_He laughed. "Somehow I doubt that." He grabbed the edges of the pillow and pulled, but it would not budge – clutched in her two hands. "Sara...?"he whispered._

"_Hm?"_

"_Please?" He pouted against her skin and continued on pressing kisses down her arms. _

_Sara swung the pillow away with force and cleared the hair out of her face, trying to get those damn locks back into place. She looked beautiful when...he supposed this was her out-of-bedlook. All it needed was small eyes peering at him. But he got a smile instead. "That was so not fair." _

_Michael gently kissed her as an offering of peace. "Please?"_

_She sighed. "Alright then."_

--

Michael looked up at the ceiling in despair before turning his eyes back to the picture he was clutching. These days without her were hard – he'd never ached for anyone more.

He sighed. She looked happy on this picture...they both did. In those few hours that they were able to spend together, the both of them soared. It showed on this picture. When his lawyer had given him the small frame, Michael had felt like hugging him real tight.

Of course, the frame that she had so carefully decorated had been confiscated, but he still had the picture and the words of love she'd written on the back. He missed her.

Lincoln would be free before long...the both of them knew it. And what would become of him? No one knew. One thing was for certain : he wouldn't be lying here listening to his brother's rhythmic snoring.

Carefully tucking the picture under his pillow, he turned in his bed and stared at the wall...for a change.

--

This opening door was different. Not the sound of it, per se, but the athmosphere it envoked. Even Sara, lying in bed with closed eyes, could feel it. One of 'em popped open and stared at the door to her bedroom, hoping that it would follow. But it didn't and she shut her eyes again. It wasn't him...it never was.

It was another three hours later before she made her way downstairs, her PJ's warm and comforting. She was about halfway there when she heard his voice.

"Hello Sara."

She managed a weak smile. "Goodmorning Lincoln. Nice to have you back."

"Thanks." He gave Jane's hand a squeeze and looked at her intently. "It's good to be back."

Judy stood up to hug Sara. "How about some breakfast, sweetie?"

She shook her head. "Just came to get some coffee." Judy's shoulders fell as she nodded in acceptance. With pain in her eyes, she watched Sara walk over to the coffeepot, pour herself a cup and walk back towards the staircase.

Sara felt them. She felt three pairs of eyes boring into her back. The only ones who weren't, were Henry's. For some reason, he understood. He could feel exactly what she needed, which was NOT people's well-meant stares and worried glances. Every now and then, they would talk ... just the two of them...and he understood.

Sara sat down at the top of the stairs, let her head rest on her hand and listened to their worries.

"It's not you," she heard Judy say to...Lincoln, she supposed. He was, after all, the new one in the house. The one who had returned. _Hurray for him._ "She just...she just doesn't talk much these days."

"You shouldn't push her to."

Judy sighed at her husband's words. "I don't, Henry. I try not to. It just kills me to see her like this."

"I know how you feel," Lincoln reassured the couple. "Michael's the same way."

Her head snapped up at the sound of his name. It was a rare thing to be uttered in this house, apart from her talks with Henry. They wanted to spare her the pain, she supposed. Wanted to not pour salt into the wounds that ran so deep into her body that they almost made her out. But she needed to hear his name. Needed to just...But then again, she wanted to be left alone.

She didn't know what she wanted...apart from the fact that she wanted Michael.

"Oh?"

"He misses her more than..." he sighed, "What I've seen from Michael in these last months...everytime that he's been away from her. I've never seen him like this. I just hope he'll be out soon."

On top of the stairs, Sara cried for the first time that day.

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_Please tell me what you think? Please?_

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	34. Hear me

**A/N : So, your reviews have inspired me to write another chapter in between finals (thanks to those who are crossing their fingers for me - it really is appreciated!). Thank you thank you thank you for reviewing. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and gets me through these days filled with studies.**

**Please tell me what you think of this chapter?**

**XO**

**PS: Laura, I've missed you, girl! xxxxxx**

**

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**She was afraid that her hands might break one of these days. Her head and heart were way to heavy to lift twenty-four seven and her hands had never been of the strongest type. Her fingers would shake when she needed something and even the strong grip she forced to silence them never worked. 

Sara let her head fall back again the back of the door to her room and let her teary eyes wander over the painting that Michael had loved so much.

"_You know what that reminds me of?..."_

"_Baja."_

She wiped at the tears that kept on flowing down her cheeks and sipped her coffee. It warmed her throat instantly and she let out a small smile. _Warmth._

A rap on her door shook her and she swallowed hard to clear any evidences of sadness in her voice.

"Sara?"

"Not now."

"Right." She imagined him nodding in acceptance at the other end of the door and heard his footsteps walk away from her, before stopping and returning once again. Couldn't he get a hint? Obviously all of the 'brains' had gone to his brother. "I just..." He cleared his throat urgently. "Michael asked me to tell you not to worry. That he's okay."

Sara smiled. Michael Scofield : always the brave one... "and that he misses you and loves you with.." he swallowed, "with all his heart. He says that he'll make good on his promise, whatever that means. I'm thinking you're in on the private thing though. Actually, I hope so...I mean, I know Michael and his complicated sentences and his hidden..." Lincoln sighed. "Sara, I know that Michael would understand what you're trying to do but I don't think he wants you to do it. He needs you to be the happy one when he can't be."

_He needs you to be the happy one when he can't be._ The words echoed in Sara's head and she gasped, struggling to find her breath and speak to Lincoln – say anything to show him that she just couldn't be happy when he was in that place. Wanted to yell that Lincoln had Jane right there and she'd always been there, but that Michael had been ripped away from her time and time again and that it just...that it just wasn't fair! But she couldn't. Her voice had been drowned in the tears she'd shed.

"Listen, I'm going to go somewhere now, and do anything at all – anything to keep my mind off of my little brother being in that place. And then I'm going to have lunch with everyone else. Please be there, Sara."

_"So what does this mean?" Her brow was furrowed as she stared at the lawyer that they had gotten to represent the brothers in court. He looked like a moron to her. "Are you saying that we can't even SEE Michael anymore?"_

_Henry patted her on the arm, trying to get her to calm down. Her voice had risen to a shrill sound and she was widely gesturing with her arms, her hands missing the man by a mere three inches. She wished it were none._

"_Miss Tancredi.." he began._

"_No. Don't you miss Tancredi me after you just told me that I can't even see Michael, my BOYFRIEND until after they've decided what to do with him. You know the system as well as I do, mister ... what's your name again?"_

_The man muttured his name and she couldn't even understand him through the fury that was causing a shrill sound to ring inside her head. "...Never mind, mister lawyer. You can tell them – whoever they are, that even if you're not gonna let me SEE Michael, there is NO way to stop me from trying other ways."_

_She spun around and took the stairs three at a time, making sure she slammed the door like a pissed off teenager._

She figured that the lawyer would come back that afternoon to talk things through with Lincoln and give a statement to the hundreds of reporters she saw camped outside the house. Word had apparently gotten out that their 'family' – as Sara was referring to it - was staying in this house and that had been the beginning of it all : the flashing of cameras and shouting of questions. Lincoln had snuck in at an ungodly hour (when the parasites were asleep) so had gotten away before they got to him.

She loved the expression of fear on Martin's face when she appeared. She'd started calling him Martin 'cause he looked like one. She didn't even bother with his real name. Three days ago, she'd wordlessly handed him the photoframe to give to Michael. This time, she'd give him something else.

--

They hadn't bothered assigning him another cellmate.Maybe it was because they feared him : Michael Scofield, public enemy #1, or maybe they just felt sorry for him that his brother was out there while he was still stuck. Maybe they just didn't give a damn.

And he was happy for Lincoln, he really was. This was what he'd been fighting for all along: freedom for his brother. He never thought of himself in Fox River – or out. The only ones that mattered were his brother and Sara. But now, he was ashamed to say, Michael Scofield was being selfish.

Maybe Sara would be better off without him – maybe everybody was. For some reason he didn't care. All he thought about was how _he_ wanted her, needed her. He wondered what she was doing nearly every second of every day. Most of all, he wondered if she thought of him, wondered if she was sad and cried. He wanted her to.

He bit his lip and shook his head. 'Selfish, selfish Michael. Bad, selfish selfish Michael' he reprimanded himself.

"Scofield."

"Yes?" Was that really his voice? It sounded like he hadn't heard it in years. He let out a sad smile. There was no one to talk to anyways.

"You've got a visitor."

--

Aidan told him that it would all be over soon, probably. There were a lot of people on his side this time around, and he had a girlfriend that would go to the end of the earth to save him. "But," the lawyer concluded while he pressed a letter into Michael's hand, "could you please tell her to stop calling me Martin? It sort of freaks me out."

Michael laughed for the first time in a long time. 'Martin', only Sara would come up with something like that. He watched the lawyer stand up and walk away, before calling out to him. "Hey Martin!" The man turned around with a grin on his face and Michael motioned towards the letter. "Thanks..."

He smiled and left, leaving Michael to be transported back to his cell.

---

_Michael,_

_Your brother came home today – without you. I knew that it would go down that way, that somehow you'd take the fall for everything, but it still breaks my heart to have you gone. I try to be strong, I really try, but you know how I can get sometimes. It's hard. I rarely speak to anyone and dream off when people try to talk to me. I'm not myself without you here._

_I'm sorry – you don't need to hear that right now. You need to focus on coming back to us, not worrying about me. You shouldn't..worry about me, that is. They're taking good care of me and if anyone is at fault, it's me. _

_I miss you. I can't wait to see you again, but I'm told that I can't. I can feel the pain that you must have felt back at Fox River, not being allowed to see your brother until Final visitation. Do you remember that day? You begged me to help you, and I told you I couldn't but that I would if my father would listen. You said my name and corrected yourself. The weirdest thing about that is that it hurt me. I felt terrible, because I wanted to hear you call my name over and over again, without having to weigh your words. Even right now, I am scared that you are being silenced one way or another. I'm not even sure if this letter will reach you. _

_I hope it does, Michael. But I'm not afraid. I put all of my faith in you._

_I love you._

_Sara._

_

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_

_And? What did you think? Pleaaaase let me know? I need you guys!!_

_XO_


	35. PI Baby

**A/N : You guys, I know it's been a while and I'm sorry. But life has been throwing things my way (finals amongst them) and I just...well, you know. Please tell me if you like this chapter? Please?**

**XO**

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He woke up to the sound of iron screeching through the silence. Blinking several times, the small crack his eyes allowed him to see through showed him the image of a guard standing in front of his cell, leisurely tapping his keys against the wall that seperated his 'quarters' from the next ones. "Scofield, you've got a visitor."

There was something about the way he looked at Michael. A certain glinstering in his eyes that Michael didn't know whether he liked or not. He raised his arms to the wooden planks that held the bed above his together and stretched with a yawn.

The guard scraped his throat. "Listen, buddy, I ain't got all day and let me tell you...you're going to want to see this visitor. So _move it._" Michael rolled his eyes (inwardly of course), took a final look at the picture safely tucked away between the same planks that he'd put his slender fingers on only seconds ago and walked over to the guard. Honestly, he liked Aidan and was more than thankful for everything he was trying to do, but frankly, he was sick of the sight of him. He just wanted to be...out there.

"Table three is ready for you."

--

"_You WHAT?"_

_He shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Listen, miss Tancredi, frankly, I was sick of being called Martin. I thought that may-be...just may-be...if I'd do something like this for you, you'd be able to remember my name." He clucked his tongue and raked his hand through his hair. "Believe it or not, but I actually like my name."_

_Sara removed her hand from her wide open mouth long enough to utter two words, before it just flew back again. "but... how?" _

"_How?" she nodded. "well, first thing I did was go to the judge's office to ask for some of the paperwork. I went through the whole scenario of 'she can't – she shouldn't – no' before they broke down after the multiple visits I paid to them. 'What the hell,' they must have thought, 'let's give the mad man what he wants for a change'. Then I went to the policestation where they're holding him, showed them the signed papers and added your name to the visitation list."_

_Sara rushed to the door, grabbed her coat off the hanger and opened the door, letting the cool breeze soothe her nerves and somewhat soften the dark circles under her eyes. Well, maybe not soften them, but with this wind, she had something to blame her ragged appearance on, rather than the shortage of sleep and the multitude of crying._

"_Aidan..." she called out, and he turned around with a small smile. "thank you."_

--

"Hey..." the soft greeting shook him to his very core. He hadn't even lifted his eyes towards his visitor, hadn't even made his way through the room to where the hell table three was, when he heard it. The _hey_ that soothed his very being. His gaze snapped up and his pace quickened at the sound of it.

Before he knew it, he was holding her close to him, letting her warmth envelop him. He pressed a brief kiss to the side of her face, mindful of the guard that he knew was watching their every move. Yes, sure, it was just a policestation that was holding him until he went to trial and until they figured out what to do with him, but nevertheless a guard was a guard, a gun was a gun, and the cafeteria food sucked everywhere.

Slowly distancing himself from her a bit, he took in her tired appearance. Her hair was jumping out at random points, there were obvious cercles underneath her eyes and it was clear to him that she had lost a lot of weight. He sat down as close to her as was allowed and held her hand in his, caressing her fingers with his thumb.

"How?"

"Well," she gave him a soft smile, "apparantly Aidan had some tricks up his sleeve."

Michael laughed. "Oh, you mean Martin?"

Sara let out a little chuckle. "No," she said, "I mean _Aidan._Yes," she tapped her left ringfinger on the tabledeck once, "_Aidan._"

Michael gazed at the finger in question and let out a big smile. "You're wearing it."

She lifted her finger and looked at in awe. "It's just so beautiful, Michael. I just..."

He softly kissed her. "I'm glad you like it. But don't forget that one of these days, it'll have to go."

"Michael..." she protested, "it's really not necessary, you know. I mean, this one is just so beautiful, I could..."

He shook his head. "No."

"_Fine..._" she sighed. _Oh, the sacrifices she had to make with this man._

Michael grinned, happy that he had made his point. "So, how's the fam?"

"The 'fam' is fine, I think." She shrugged. "I don't really know."

"Well, now you're gonna know. I want you to be my P.I. ..."

" Honey, don't call it P.I."

"...detective..."

" better. "

"...and you're going to spend as much time with them as possible. You're going to have lunch with them, write me letters sitting next to them and watch TV with them, commenting on how I am so much more...you can fill in any adjective you like...than those people in one of your silly shows that you're addicted to."

Sara rolled her eyes."How does 'stubborn' sound to you?"

He smiled. " I think you can do better than that, Miss Tancredi..."

"Oh can I?" he nodded. " 'annoying', 'childish'?"

"keep going..."

And just then the bell rang, announcing the end of visitation. Sara grinned. "Well, Mr. Scofield, I'm thinking that the adjectives are going to have to wait until next time." She pressed a loving kiss to his pretty pouting lips and hugged him one last time.

He watched her leave, the ache of not being able to see her for another...who knows?...clearly visible in his eyes. When she spun around with a big smile on her face, he had to physically force himself not to jump up, run over to him and abduct her to his cell.

"Michael?"

"hm?"

"how does 'cute' sound?"

" 'cute' sounds wonderful."

* * *

_Please tell me what you think? Please? _

_XO_


	36. Being Sara

**A/N : Hey you guys! So, as previously stated - I'm back! I'm sorry about all the time that has passed in between my last update and this one. I've had some issues to deal with and on top of that - my laptop decided to break down! However, I'm not going to panic, and am going to keep on updating (more frequently now, I promise!)**

**XO**

* * *

The next few weeks were difficult. They tried to gather all the information they could to keep Michael as far away as possible from a long sentencing (or any sentencing at all, really), but it didn't look good. Even though Lincoln was free and innocent, the truth remained that his younger brother had been the mastermind behind the whole escape and that he'd been responsible for putting scum like T-bag back out on the street. Back out, and killing.

"They need a scapegoat," Aidan explained, "I've spoken to the other party, and even though they didn't say it explicitly, that's basically what it comes down to. Michael's the only one not on the run…or dead. Michael's the one with all the secrets. Michael's the one they're after."

Sara nodded. "What are we looking at here? A year? Twelve years?" She swallowed nervously, replaying all the memories she had made with Michael over and over in her mind.

Aidan gave her a weak smile. "It all depends on the judge. He had a decent motivation to do what he did…but it was a bad thing to do. I don't like to say this, Sara, but I think they'll give him a sentence between one and eight years."

She blinked away the tears that threatened to come out. "I'm going for a walk."

"Will you be back for dinner?" Judy smiled sympathetically at her from the passage to the kitchen.

Sara shrugged. "Possibly."

-

"They say you'll be one to eight years." She looked at their hands linked on the plastic table, his fingers slowly caressing her own. He squeezed a little to get her to look at him and gave her a smile.

"It could have been worse." But his eyes were sad and his voice wavered a little. Michael Scofield hurt inside, and it showed. "Listen Sara, I know that you say you want to wait for me, but if you.."

She ripped her hand from between his and stared at him in shock. "Michael Charles Scofield, please tell me you're kidding."

"I'm not." He shook his head slowly and retrieved her hand, pressing a kiss on each and every finger. "Sara, I want to spend my life – or whatever's left of it – with you, but I'm…" He sighed. "You deserve so much better than me. That's all."

"Oh really?"she scoffed, " do I deserve better than a man who makes me feel like I can do anything, who makes me smile when I am sad and who makes my life worth living?" She frowned, and he couldn't help but think that she looked adorable while doing it. "_Do I, Michael?_"

Several people turned their head t her raised voice, and it made Michael smile to think that she loved him that much to start shouting her love – or, better yet, her conviction that there was nothing better in the world than loving him – in a police station. "Shh." He placed his face next to her cheek and whispered a sincere 'I'm sorry' into her ear.

"You better." She gently pushed him a bit further away from her, so that their laughing eyes were able to meet. Noticing that the guard were distracted for the moment, she tentatively placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

He smiled. "So, my little detective, how's the family doing?"

She grinned. "They're doing fine. Lincoln and Jane are being sickeningly romantic, which bugs LJ to no end. Last weekend, your brother even took his girlfriend on a picnic in the park, and LJ begged to come along at first, but after seeing his dad and Jane making out in a public place – apparently he ran out of the park without looking back."

Michael laughed. "That sounds like him."

"He's a real piece of work, that one." Sara was silent for a moment. "He takes after you, you know?"

"In…weird behaviour?" Michael wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she stuck her tongue out playfully.

"That too. But what I meant to say, was that he can make me laugh. The rest of them are so serious the whole time…they treat me like I'm a porcelain doll that can break any minute."

Michael nodded. "Well, they don't know the tough woman underneath it all."

Sara smiled. "I'm not tough. It's hard – I'm not going to deny that fact. But I don't want people tiptoeing around me, scared to say or do something wrong. I love them for caring, but the thing I like about LJ is that he treats me like a … he treats me like I need to be treated, right now."

"You know that everyone's just doing this because they love you, right? They just want to love you enough so that they can equal what I feel for you. Compensate the love you can't get in my absense." He pressed a kiss to her wrist. "They can never equal it, though. There's too much love in here."

A laugh rang through the room. "Michael Scofield, such a romantic. Who'd have known."

He smiled shyly, but didn't care to comment on her statement. It was the truth, after all. "You know what I'm going to do?"

He shook his head. "Tell me."

"I think I'm going to take the family to the place I grew up. Show them something real, something to indicate that I'm still me, still Sara, even though my Michael is absent from my day to day life." She nodded, happy.

Her Michael, however, frowned. "I thought you grew up in Chicago?"

"Ah!" She grinned at him. "And you call yourself a mastermind?"

"That's not me speaking!" he defended himself, "I, personally, blame the press for that.Stupid leaches giving me nicknames…I can't even be spared by my own girlfriend."

She kissed his fingertip. "I'm sorry sweetie. I was just kidding, you know? You couldn't have known that I didn't grow up in this area. My dad always wanted people to think that we were a _proud, happy, scandal-free and Chicago-based_ family." She rolled her eyes. "It was a joke. I'm proud to have grown up where I did. I'll take you there, too, Michael. It's beautiful. Our house was less than a five minutes walk from the beach, where the sand was so warm and soft underneath my toes..I remember walking on that beach a lot when I was a kid, goofing around with Sally and just_ – escaping the world. _Or, better yet, and more concretly: escaping dad."

"I think they'll really like that." Michael smiled at her, the adoration clearly written in his eyes. He knew she'd have to leave soon – the clock on the wall was counting down the seconds left until the end of visitation, but for now, he would just bask in the feeling of Sara…being Sara.

* * *

_So? What did you think_? _Oh, please tell me you liked it? I really want you to like it..._

_XO_


	37. Sand

**A/N : BaCk! with another update. Please tell me if you like it? I am so thankful for all of you who are reviewing...you make my days worthwhile!**

**XO**

* * *

_Friends are family you make for your own._

"Sara?" The voice was full of hope, and once again Sara felt the pain shoot through her heart. She hadn't been there enough for her family in these last few weeks, even though they had been there for her the best they could._Damn it – she really needed to get over this 'I don't want to be protected'thing she had going for her._

Closing the small distance between the front door and the kitchen, she went up behind Judy and hugged her. "Hi."

Judy smiled. "Hi. Taste this." She held up a spoon with something that looked a whole lot like the vol-au-vent her own mother used to make, and Sara ate it greedily, before letting out a small sigh.

"That's delicious." The cook nodded and went back to stirring the sauce, while Sara hoisted herself up on the countertop and pushed her hands underneath her legs, trying to stretch her whole body up to the sky. "Au." She let out a laugh and let her fingers travel to the back of her head. Apparently, the sky had been blocked by a kitchenkabinet.

"Listen," she turned to Judy, "I know I haven't been…"

"Tush," the elder woman shushed her, "you had every right."

Sara shook her head. "No I didn't. There are many, many people here who feel the loss of Michael, and I've been selfish trying to push everyone away when you were only trying to help me." She smiled sadly and nodded to herself,"…and I know Michael must agree on that. He wouldn't call me selfish, but…"he spun her head mid-air, "I know he wants our family to be happy when he's in there."

"We are…"

"Yes, we are. But I haven't been making this easy for you. So tomorrow, as a small token of my gratitude, I am going to take you all somewhere. Somewhere…that's really important to me." She looked at Judy, who had dropped the spoon into the sauce but didn't seem to care, and smiled apologetically and shyly, "that is, if you want me to."

Suddenly, there were two ovenmittens on the side of her face, and a kiss was being planted on her cheek. "Of course we want you to."

-

"Are we there yet?"

Lincoln tried to reach his free hand around Jane to smack his son, but alas, his arm just wasn't long enough. So he opted for a grumble instead. "I swear, if he so much as ask that one more time…"

LJ laughed. "You'll do _what_? Take away my barbiedoll?"

Sara gasped and turned her head around to face the backseat. "You have a barbiedoll?"

The youngest of the family grinned sarcastically. "O yeah, and I love Polly Pocket too.."

"Aww," Jane added, "I used to_ love_ Polly Pocket.."

"But now you love me." Lincoln kissed her sweetly on the lips, before Jane gently pushed him away.

"Yes I do…but not as much as Polly Pocket." She winked at Sara in the rearviewmirror, and her friend let out a hearty laugh, while Lincoln just pouted. "Oh,I'm sorry, Lincoln…I love you more than I loved barbies though.."

Henry turned around. "You had Barbies? I always thought you were a G.I. Jane sort of person. Oh," he smacked his forhead, "G.I._Joe_. I meant Joe – honest! Owww." Jane leaned back again after having severely punished Henry for his remark.

Sara thought that it might be a good plan to intervene, before a full war would begin between her familymembers. After all, she needed them to still have all their bodyparts. "To answer your question, LJ – we're almost there. Do you see that house over there – the one with all the glass windows and the pretty roof?" She smiled at the skyline. "That's it."

-

"Sara, this place is so beautiful." Jane stood next to the window, staring out at the ocean in the distance, where Lincoln and LJ were messing around. She wordlessly accepted the coffeecup Sara gave her, and took a small sip, allowing the few drops to warm her whole body.

Sara nodded. "It is. I have some good memories involving this house." Looking around the room, she let out a soft sigh. "And then some not so good memories." She shook her head to clear all the bad things away, and just focused on being here, right now, with the people she cared most about in the whole world…except for the one man who… "God, I wish he could be here with us."

Janes arm reached around her and pulled her in a sisterlike embrace. "I know…But he would want us to have fun today."

"Yeah…Wanna head out to the beach?"

Her friend stared at the grains of sand, on which her boyfriend was lying, and grinned. "Sure. How 'bout we make a grand entrance?" She wiggled her eyebrows, and Sara couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"What're you suggesting?"

-

The teenager looked in wonder at his father, who was not-yet-sleeping-but-getting-there, and – deciding that he didn't want to hear his father's charming snore, decided to strike up a conversation.

"Dad?"

Lincoln let out a faint hum, so his son took it as a sign to continue. "Do you think uncle Mike's going to be alright?"

He watched as _Sleeping Beauty _popped open one eye – then another – and finally raised himself up entirely to be able to look at him when he spoke. "LJ, I _know _your uncle is gonna be alright. He's tough, you know? And he knows that we're all waiting for him and that we love him.." he took a deep breath, "your uncle is going to more than alright. He- _damn it!_"

The drenched men were only just fast enough to see two girls run away giggling, the buckets in their hands falling down and landing with a soft thud into the sand. They stopped running at the shoreline and turned around around, with their hair and dresses blowing in the wind. The smiles on their faces quickly turned into looks of panic at the sight of the men nearing them.

-

"Do you remember when we were that young?"

Her husband shook his head. "It seems only yesterday and yet so long ago." He smiled at her and at the way her camera seemed glued to her face, the soft clicks of pictures being taken the only sound they could hear, along with the crashing of the waves and the faint giggles and screams further down the beach.

She sighed sadly. "They look happy…but…"

"It's going to be okay, Judy." He put his hand on her cheek and offered her a reassuring smile. "Everything is going to be okay."

Henry watched helplessly as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. "I just hate to see them like this. Sara is…Henry, she's so sad."

"…but she'll be alright." He told her, his voice light and decisive. "If there's one thing I've learned about Sara, is that she's tough. Not tough as in 'she can overcome anything', but tough enough to be able to make it through most."

Silence fell over them and Judy took out the camera and started reviewing the pictures she'd taken. She paused when she came across one of them – a snapshot of the four of them playing near the ocean, each and every one of them smiling while they playfully splashed water at eachother. Judy smiled. She'd print this one out and get it to Michael.

He'd like that.

* * *

_And? Please tell me you like it?_

_XO_


	38. And water

**A/N : Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter...Please tell me if you like it? Please?**

**XO**

* * *

Michael sighed at the feeling of his heart threatening to leap out of his chest. The firm pull that made him ache to the very core of him was almost too much to take, sometimes. The small window in his cell allowed him to look at the sky a little – one little strip of blue barely visible above him. He knew that they would be at the house right now, laughing and goofing around…without him.But it was a good thing, he reminded himself. No matter how jealous he was not being able with them, they deserved a bit of happiness. It would be selfish of him if he wanted them to be miserable on his account. 

Things were looking okay, anyway. No better than yesterday, but no worse either. Aidan was fighting tooth and nail, and that at least had to count for something. Michael closed his eyes as he lay down on his bunk bed and smiled at the image that filled his head. Sara and Jane were laughing, spinning around in the waves…

-

Sara and Jane were laughing, spinning around in the waves and enjoying the feel of the water all around them. For a moment, they felt like two care-free children again. And it was wonderful. "Jane, look!" Sara beamed as she saw a little plane in the sky, its yellow and red colors creating a pretty contrast with the clear blue of the sky.

The splashing of water stilled for a minute when the two women stared at the small aircraft, then returned full force when they were being tackled by the two Burrowsmen and fell, face first, into the ocean. "Lincoln!" Sara just heard Jane's outrageous cry before she felt herself drowning.

_The water was everywhere. It surrounded her from every side of her face and put a steady pressure on her eardrums, making her feel as if she would never be able to hear anything ever again; not the sound of the doors to the infirmary sliding open, nor the rattling of chains or the sound of his voice saying her name in that very special way.__ The hand on the back of her head just kept on pushing, and she felt herself being pulled towards unconsciousness._

It felt like a lifetime before she was able to breathe again. The slightly salty taste of the atmosphere surrounding the beach felt like nothing she'd ever known. A slightly startled Lincoln stood beside her in the water, observing quietly while his son and his girlfriend continued to wrestle playfully a few feet away. Sara took deep breaths to clear her vision and her head, before muttering a soft 'scuse me' and stumbling out of the water.

"Sara!" _Damn it_. He and his brother had a similar way of calling out her name. For once, it couldn't soothe her. Not for a while.

She shook her head softly. "I only need a minute, Linc. Just…carry on, and I'll be back before you know it." Of course she knew he didn't believe her, but she wanted to. Sara _needed_ to be alone for a moment, put herself together again and paint on the smile. Her make-up was flaking.

Her feet shuffled through the sand, trailing the path they had taking so many times before, when they had been much smaller. She smiled as she arrived at her sanctuary : it looked exactly the same. Lying down, she closed her eyes and leaned back on her hands. _The water…oh god._

Would there ever be a time when she would be able to forget that horrible day, when she had believed to die any second, the only thoughts pumping through her head being 'live' and 'Michael'? She sw8ore, sometimes, that she could still feel the prints Paul's fingers had left on the back of her head. 8

Her own fingers travelled to her chest and found her heart, pulsing steadily next to her breast, proving to her that she was still alive. She needed that confirmation – every time after those moments had been replayed in her mind. Knowing that her fear worried the hell out of Michael, she tried to play it down. But he knew. He'd always known.

"Would you mind some company?" She didn't even need to open her eyes to imagine the scene she would look upon: a dripping wet LJ standing a few feet behind her, his hands shyly folded and a concerned expression on his face.

Sara shook her head and patted the sand next to her. "How did you find me?"

"Uh.." he let out a nervous laugh. "I sort of followed you here. I didn't know if you wanted someone with you or not, but I figured 'hey, she can send me away if she wants to'. Do you?"

"No." She smiled. "Thank you for doing that."

She popped open one eye, just in time to see him give her one of those charming smiles. "Anything for you, Sara."

"My, my, you're such a charmer, junior. Seems like that's a thing running in the family." Her memories showed her Michael's charming smile, his laughing eyes and his words that just made you melt on the spot.

"Is that why you left? Because uncle Mike's not here?"

"Well," she admitted, "there's that. I also haven't been a huge fan of water, lately."

He noted the sadness in her voice and thought that maybe he should leave it at that. However, the Burrows' had always been curious and caring creatures, and LJ had inherited his Uncle's need to protect people. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Oh." He grinned. "Do you want a hug, then?"

Sara practically leaped into his arms. "A hug is always welcome."

-

They went back to the rest of the family shortly after that, LJ chasing Sara down the dunes of sand, her laugh reverberating through the air. She stopped short when she saw the scene in front of her. The sight of her family so happy made her want to tear up, but LJ was there to put an arm around her and give her strength. _He reminded her of Michael._

No one mentioned a word about their little disappearing act, and Sara appreciated it. And after spending another few, blissful hours on the beach, chatting about the random things that made up their lives, they returned home again – feeling warm all over.

* * *

_So? What did you think? Please tell me?_

_XO_


	39. Ferret

**A/N : You guys, I know that I haven't been around lately, and for that I am sooo soooo sorry. I hope this chapter makes up for it! **

**Please let me know? Please?**

**XO, as always**

* * *

_Three weeks and four days later_

"You look pretty."

She smiled at her reflection and at the young man she saw standing next to her in the mirror. "Why thank you, junior." A laugh escaped her lips when she shook her head to let her hair fall naturally around her face. She'd tried combing it to perfection but had found it hadn't worked. It felt nice to let it spring free every once in a while.

Free.

"Naw, I mean it," he continued, "if it's a male judge, he's gonna have some serious trouble getting his eyes off you." LJ sniggered. "Okay, here comes a crazy idea, but er- do you think you could _seduce_ the judge into getting Uncle Mike off scott-free?"

Sara finally faced the boy and raised her eyebrows at him. "LJ, I know the whole 'planning' thing seems to be in your genes, but I think that has to be the worst plan I ever heard. Obviously, you take after your father in the brain departement."

He put his hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "Sara, you totally just broke my heart, you know that, right?" He loved to make her smile. It was the one thing he felt like he could do for her, except giving her a shoulder to cry on. They had grown close these last few weeks. They were friends who could depend on eachother. Laugh with eachother. Hug eachother when they cried.

_He woke up at about 3am, with the feeling that something was wrong with Sara. It had been like this for a while now, him being able to sense things like that, with her. She smiled at it and told him that he must have had his very own 'Sara-radar' built in when she hadn't been paying attention._

_He knew he was right when he saw the kitchenlight on, and the flashing of the Tvscreen a few feet to the left of a steaming cup of tea. His feet padded softly on the rug as he walked over to her, and he let out a soft 'hey' so he wouldn't completely startle her. Her big eyes looked up to him in the dim of the soft light spread by the small, somewhat weird looking lamp standing on the coffeetable._

_"Hey." She smiled. "I should have known you wouldn't give me a moment's rest." There was no sting in her words, only kindness._

_"Yeah, well – you know how I like to bug you, huh?" His eyes held the same twinkle that was apparent in hers: the soft glow of friendship. "What are you watching?"_

_Sara blushed. "Homevideos. I know it's silly, but it's nice to watch, you know?" _

_He nodded and smiled when he saw his father and uncle wrestling in the sand. It was a video shot a few years ago – maybe four or five – when they had gone to the beach together. Just the three of them, and Veronica. It still hurt to hear her laugh on the tape. All those memories…_

_"Mind if I join?" _

_She laughed. "By all means." She drew in her feet to make room for him, and then in a typically Sara-manner, propped them up on his lap. "Thanks, Junior!"_

_Hey, whatever made her smile… "I'm happy we found a way to recover these." He said pointing at the pile of tapes they had miraculously been able to snatch from LJ's personal belongings._

_Sara nodded and, the moment she saw Michael smiling into the camera, let out the tears she had been holding in for far too long. LJ was there all night, sitting beside her and rubbing her feet._

-

The stone building seemed so cold and harsh – exactly what punishment would look like. The pretty woman didn't trust it one bit. LJ didn't even have to look in her eyes to see the worry that would be reflected there. He just squeezed her hand once and told her it'd be alright.

She had trouble believing him. Even more so when the judge that entered the courtroom looked her way and – she couldn't believe LJ had been right – let his eyes linger on her body. LJ poked her. "You shouldda changed your outfit, Sara. I mean, the last thing we need right now is for Uncle Mike to have a jealousy fit and try and strangle the judge."

Sara blushed. Honestly, she wasn't wearing anything special at all, just a skirt with a classy, stylish blouse that she had bought on sale. Sure, the color complimented both her eyes and hair, but so what if it did? It's not as if she was going to go with LJ's plan of seduction, she just wanted to look nice for Michael.

"He would have liked you in a plastic raincoat."

A quiet 'au' followed as she elbowed LJ. "Stop reading my mind. It's-"

Her breath caught as she heard the doors open once more and he walked in, flanked by two armed guards. She reminded herself to breathe, a task that had become very difficult for some reason. _In…Out…In…_ She caught his scent in the air and it soothed her frantic nerves. She mentally scolded herself for sounding so silly.

All silliness aside, it was almost more than she could take when his eyes found hers and she saw how much he loved her. A calm washed over her.

They were going to be fine.

-

It was nearly three hours later when the judge spoke his verdict. Three hours of fretting, tearing napkins apart and having LJ reassure her by patting her hand, or winking at her, or anything at all. In those hours she had watched Aidan fight for Michael unlike any other lawyer ever had – or so she believed, the judge had nodded a few times and the opposing counselor had screamed her lungs out, trying to get Michael behind bars again.

Sara had been scared beyond her wit, but everytime she had caught Michael's eye, he had sent her a sign of reassurance, of warmth and of love. She couldn't even remember a time before she had met him when he looked at her like that. What would she have been if he hadn't stepped into Fox River with the crazy idea of getting his brother out? The answer to that question was to frightening to even think about, so she didn't. Or – tried not to.

"All rise."

Six pairs of hands connected the instant they rose from their seats. Six different people were united by one thing: they were Michael's family, and loved him with all their hearts. Sara looked at Judy, who had been as frantic as she had been throughout the whole proces. Jane had managed to remain calm, and so had the men, but Judy's motherinstinct had prevailed. There were tears in her eyes.

There was a moment of absolute silence, before the judge's voice echoed in every corner of the room."Mr. Scofield, this court has found you guilty of not only robbing a bank, but breaking out several dangerous prisoners, many of whom are still at large. The crimes you have comitted are not of the forgetable kind."

Sara closed her eyes. This was not good.

"However, in my opinion, some of them may be forgiven."

A wave of relief went through the courtroom, filling everyone's hearts with a sparkle of hope – except for the opposition's counselor, who looked rather glum at the moment.

"You are hereby forgiven for your first act of criminal activities, which was robbing the bank, and if you can help us capture the most dangerous of the escapees, mr.Theodore Bagwell, your sentence will be cut down to four months."

Sara's heart surged. She wanted to break free of the hands that were holding hers, run over to the table where Michael was sitting and kiss him passionately for all to see. She might even kiss the judge, too.

"As it is, you will serve 6 months at a local facility starting tomorrow. The court has spoken."

His eyes found hers a mere second later and it seemed as if time stood still for the both of them. She didn't notice the people who were clapping all around her, or the excited buzz moving through the crowd. She never saw Lincoln and Jane kiss eachother, or Judy sob in Henry's arms.

In a daze she walked towards him – or as close as she could get to him – and just…stopped. "Hi."

He laughed unbelievingly. "Hey. How are ya?"

Her smile lit up the entire courtroom. "No worse than yesterday." For the first time in a long time, Sara had the ability again to look at something else beside him. She noticed the guards who had accompanied him were Ben and Phil, two of the regulars on duty when she went to see Michael at the policestation. "Hey guys," she smiled, "do you mind if I…?" She briefly touched her lips to get her point across, and got big smiles in return.

"Go ahead, Sara." Ben laughed. "We'll pretend not to notice."

"How very kind of you…" Leaning forward, their lips met in one of the most gentle kisses they had ever shared. Michael was always tender, but this kiss was unlike any other.

Too soon, he pulled away from her and rested his forhead against hers. "The waiting's almost over, Sara."

He pressed one last kiss to her forhead, and smiled one last time, before he let them take him away. All Sara could feel at his departure was, unlike any other time they'd had to part – pure happiness.

The waiting was almost over, and four months from now, they'd be together again.

For good.

* * *

_So? Please tell me what you think? Please?_

_Oh, and another question, do you think I should end the story here, and start with a sequel, or just continue right here?_

_Please? I need you!_

_XO, as always_


End file.
